Indonesia and Poland established diplomatic relations on September 19, 1955. This year marks the
65th anniversary of this diplomatic relations. In more than 6 decades, both countries have been
through a lot of changes, but the relations between Indonesia and Poland has only been growing
stronger, as demonstrated in the thriving and expanding cooperation between both governments,
private sectors, and other stakeholders. For example, according to the Ministry of Trade of the
Republic of Indonesia, both countries recorded USD 708,5 million in bilateral trade in 2019 with
Poland’s export to Indonesia reached USD 224,8 million, increased by 47.41% compared to the
previous year’s value. Of course, trade is not the only area in which cooperation between both
countries is flourishing. In recent years, more Poles have chosen Indonesia as their holiday
destination. While there were 32,704 visits of Polish tourists to Indonesia in 2017, the numbers
peaked at 41,637 visits in 2019, as recorded by Statistics Indonesia. More Indonesian students
have chosen Poland as their study destination and the Government of the Province of West Nusa
Tenggara grants scholarship to its local people to study in partner universities in Poland.
However, it is also a truth that not many Poles know about Indonesia, apart from the well-known
facts such as Indonesia is where Bali is located, some islands in Indonesia are the natural habitat of
Komodo, or a fact that both countries share red and white as the colors of their respective flags. On
the other hand, the same thing can also be said about Indonesians: not many Indonesians know
about Poland apart from the fact that Poland gave birth to the world-famous people in history, arts,
and science such as Pope John Paul II, Frédéric François Chopin and Marie Curie.
Therefore, the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia decided to organize a series of events to
introduce Indonesia more to Polish public in 2020. Due to restrictions imposed by the government to
prevent the increased transmission of COVID-19, some of these events will take place online and
through electronic and printed media.
The official celebration of the 65th anniversary of Indonesia-Poland diplomatic relations began early
this year with a photo exhibition themed “Indonesia: A Portrait of Diversity and Religious Harmony”
at the Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw, on Wednesday, February 26, 2020.
Every Thursday, on its Facebook account (@IndonesianEmbassyWarsaw), the Embassy introduces
the works of Poles which were conducted in, inspired by, or related to Indonesia in “Indonesia in
Polish Culture and Research”. For example, on June 25th, it highlighted the work of Michał
Siedlecki, a Polish zoologist who conducted a research in the National Botanical Garden in
Buitenzord in Dutch East India (now Bogor, Indonesia). In another post, on July 30th, it brought into
attention the popularity of Indonesian song “Rayuan Pulau Kelapa” which was recorded in 1959 in
Polish as “Indonezja” (translated by Zygmunt Szłaba and sung by Janusz Gniatkowski accompanied
by a jazz band led by Franciszk Górkiewicz and Juliusz Skowroński).
In August, the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Warsaw will organize “Indonesia Week”. It
aims at celebrating the 65th anniversary of Indonesia-Poland diplomatic relations by promoting
Indonesian arts, culture, and culinary in Poland and historic ties between the people of both
countries, as well as business and investment opportunities.
“Indonesia Week” will present:
▪ Photo exhibition themed “Indonesia: A Portrait of Diversity and Religious Harmony” at the
Wieliczka Salt Mine (official opening on August 18, 2020);
▪ Photo exhibition of Professor Józef Zwierzycki (1888-1961) who is regarded as one of the
greatest Polish geologists of the 20th century. He worked for Dutch Geological Survey in the
Dutch East Indies and credited with most of the geological maps of Indonesia produced in
that period;
▪ Visit of the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the International Cultural Centre in
Kraków to see “Plants and animals. Atlases of natural history in the age of Linnaeus”
exhibition which features, among others, native Indonesian animals (August 19, 2020);
▪ Visit of the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to ZOO Wrocław to visit the recently
born Sumatran tiger baby (August 20, 2020);
▪ Announcement of the winner of the “Indonesia-Polish Fusion Cooking Competition” (August
24, 2020);
▪ Webinar on “Indonesia-Poland Potential Economic Cooperation in the New Normal” (August
25, 2020);
▪ Indonesian coffee and book promotion at Café NOWA Księgarnia, Kraków (August 19 & 23-
29, 2020);
▪ Indonesian culinary and coffee promotion events in Warsaw and other cities in Poland;
▪ Arts, cultural, and tourism promotion on the social media of partner regional governments in
Poland.
Other events and activities are currently being prepared and will be confirmed at later dates.
The organization of these events is supported by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of
Indonesia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, regional governments of Indonesia
(Province of West Java, Province of North Sumatra, Province of West Sumatra, Province of West
Nusa Tenggara, Province of South Sulawesi, Capital City of Jakarta, City of Denpasar, and City of
Bandung) and regional governments of Poland (City of Kraków, City of Poznań, City of Słupsk, City
of Wrocław, and Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship). It is also supported by the private sectors in
Indonesia and Poland.
Updates on the events will be announced on the social media of the Embassy of the Republic of
Indonesia in Warsaw (Facebook:@IndonesianEmbassyWarsaw; Twitter:@IndonesiaInPL;
Instagram:@indonesiainwarsaw; YouTube: KBRI Warsawa TV).
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