Jakarta. The Indonesian Festival Copenhagen captivated the residents of Copenhagen, Denmark, with its vibrant cultural performances, Indonesian cuisine, products, and environmental conservation initiatives, drawing around 16,000 visitors.

This inaugural Indonesian festival in Denmark kicked off on Saturday, June 29 at Rådhuspladsen, or Copenhagen City Hall Square. The event featured a variety of cultural showcases from different regions of Indonesia, including Sabang, West Java, East Kalimantan, Bali, and Makassar.

The cultural team from East Kalimantan attracted attention with performances such as Bengen Tawai Dance, Pelalo Adat, and Gantar Dance, inviting attendees to join in the festivities.

From West Java, the Angklung art form entertained visitors with the Manshur Angklung performance, blending traditional bamboo instruments with electronic dance music (EDM). Additionally, an interactive Angklung session allowed a thousand participants to play and take home the instruments they used.

The Balinese Kecak Dance performance, presented by the Bali community in Denmark, also mesmerized over 200 attendees, encouraging them to participate in the rhythmic dance.

Beyond cultural displays, Danish YouTuber Kristian Hansen shared his experiences traveling to Indonesia, highlighting the country's natural beauty and diverse culture to the Danish audience.

With 27 booths offering Indonesian delicacies, products, and handicrafts, the festival also featured travel packages to Indonesia. The Save Orangutan Foundation from Denmark utilized the festival as a platform to promote orangutan conservation campaigns.

Marie from the Save Orangutan Foundation expressed delight in participating in this "very lively festival" and hoped to return next year.

As the first Indonesian festival in Denmark, the event served as a nostalgic reminder for Indonesian citizens residing abroad, particularly those from neighboring countries like Sweden and Norway, who traveled to Copenhagen specifically for the festival.

"From the opening parade, traditional dances, participating in Kecak and playing Angklung, while enjoying Indonesian snacks, the event was really exciting," said Tya, an Indonesian citizen who came from Malmo, Sweden.

Indonesian Ambassador to Copenhagen Dewi Wahab inaugurated the festival, expressing gratitude to Copenhagen City Council and sponsors such as the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry, Bank Indonesia, Ministry of Investment, Batang Integrated Industrial Estate, Bank Mandiri, ASDP, and Singapore Airlines.

Given the warm reception from the people of Copenhagen, Ambassador Dewi Wahab hopes to make the Indonesian Festival Copenhagen an annual affair. Jens-Kristian Lütken, Mayor of Employment and Integration of Copenhagen praised the Indonesian community for enriching the city's diversity.

The Indonesian Festival Copenhagen marked the culmination of a series of integrated promotional activities organized by the Indonesian Embassy in Copenhagen from June 24 to 29.

In addition to the festival, these activities included the Indonesia Investment Forum on June 27, in collaboration with Danish Industry. Furthermore, in partnership with Bank Indonesia, the Indonesian Embassy promoted specialty Indonesian coffee at the World of Coffee 2024 Copenhagen from June 27 to 29.

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