Indonesia, Morocco Explore Expanded Cultural Cooperation Through Traditional Music
Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Indonesia and Morocco are exploring opportunities to strengthen cultural cooperation, including collaboration in the development and promotion of traditional music performances, as both countries seek to deepen cultural ties and support their creative industries.
According to a statement issued by Indonesia’s Ministry of Culture on Tuesday, discussions on expanding bilateral cultural cooperation took place during a meeting between Indonesian Minister of Culture Fadli Zon and Redouane Houssaini, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Indonesia.
During the meeting, Minister Zon highlighted cultural similarities between Morocco’s Andalusi traditional music and Indonesia’s gambus and qasidah musical traditions, suggesting these genres could serve as a foundation for future cultural exchanges.
“Morocco’s Andalusi traditional music shares similarities with Indonesia’s gambus and qasidah. Going forward, Indonesia and Morocco could establish cultural collaboration through these two music genres,” Zon said.
He proposed organizing joint music performances and facilitating collaborations between Moroccan Andalusi musicians and Indonesian gambus artists through shared stage appearances and cultural events.
The minister also expressed hope that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) covering cooperation in culture, the creative economy, and the preservation and utilization of traditions and local wisdom could be finalized in the near future.
According to Zon, the proposed agreement would serve as an important framework for expanding bilateral cooperation and launching new initiatives aimed at strengthening cultural ecosystems in both countries.
“The MoU can be accelerated as a follow-up to the cooperation between Indonesia and Morocco. In addition, we can also initiate programs that can advance the cultural ecosystem, such as artist residency programs, traditional music performances, and cultural conferences,” he said.
He further emphasized the importance of identifying additional areas of cooperation that could contribute to the growth of creative industries while preserving cultural heritage and local traditions in both nations.
For his part, Ambassador Houssaini noted that Indonesia and Morocco could also collaborate in promoting culture-based economic activities, cultural diplomacy, and institutional development, including cooperation involving museums and cultural institutions.
The ambassador said that the longstanding friendship between the two countries, built on mutual respect and understanding, provides a strong foundation for advancing cultural development and fostering greater people-to-people exchanges.
The discussions reflect growing efforts by Indonesia and Morocco to deepen cultural engagement, strengthen creative-sector cooperation, and preserve their rich artistic and traditional heritage through joint initiatives and exchanges.
