Jakarta, September 5, 2026 – Deputy Minister of Creative Economy/Deputy Head of the Creative Economy Agency (Ekraf), Irene Umar, expressed her appreciation to the Indonesia Buddhist Entrepreneur Organization (IBEA) and the Directorate General of Buddhist Community Guidance of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, which initiated the Strengthening of Creative Economy and Entrepreneurship for Young Buddhist Entrepreneurs program. According to her, this cross-ministerial and community collaboration is a concrete example of the spirit embodied in the event’s theme, Together We Grow, Collaborate & Create Impact.
Deputy Minister of Creative Economy/Deputy Head of the Creative Economy Agency (Ekraf), Irene Umar, expressed her appreciation to IBEA and the Directorate General of Buddhist Community Guidance of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia for initiating the Strengthening of Creative Economy and Entrepreneurship for Young Buddhist Entrepreneurs program at the H.M. Rasjidi Auditorium, Jakarta, Saturday (5/9/2026).
“This is what Indonesia truly needs: more young entrepreneurs in the creative economy who are driven by positive intentions to provide solutions for others and the environment, considering that our current entrepreneurship rate is only around 3.8 percent. This self-development platform based on Buddhist values provides a means to hone the potential of the community to enlighten the world while advancing the nation,” said Irene Umar at the H.M. Rasjidi Auditorium, Jakarta, Saturday (5/9).
The Deputy Minister also praised IBEA’s vision of bringing together Buddhist businesspeople to create prosperity and deliver tangible benefits for Indonesia through the values of Dharma. This initiative demonstrates that strong entrepreneurship is measured not only by business growth, but also by social impact aligned with the fundamental principles of the creative economy to advance together.
The Ministry of Creative Economy is committed to facilitating the strengthening of the national creative ecosystem through cross-sectoral collaboration, capacity building for creative business players, marketing network development, and the promotion of Indonesian creative works at the global level. The Deputy Minister also emphasized that collaboration is key. Cross-sectoral and hexahelix collaboration, which integrates the roles of associations, government, academia, media, business players, and financial institutions, serves as a key foundation for revitalizing regional economies and improving community welfare.
“Entrepreneurship is not merely a status, but a mindset of perseverance, sensitivity to problems, and goal orientation, whether as an entrepreneur or an intrapreneur. Today, access to knowledge, networks, and investment capital is widely available. The key to success lies in the willingness to keep learning, trying, and developing oneself wisely. With sensitivity and the right direction, a solid personal and business foundation can be built to achieve success,” the Deputy Minister added.
Photo: Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency.
The agenda was initiated by IBEA together with the Directorate General of Buddhist Community Guidance of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia as a platform connecting Buddhist entrepreneurs focused on strengthening entrepreneurial networks. The series of events, featuring a talk show, discussion sessions, question-and-answer sessions, and the soft launch of IBEA, aimed to equip the younger generation with innovation and a spirit of business collaboration.
“An asset that becomes more valuable over time is friendship. Today, we are gathering with true friends to build a strong ecosystem together. Through this forum, how can we develop ourselves and grow our businesses?” said IBEA Chairman Emil Atmajaya.
The event was attended by Director General of Buddhist Community Guidance of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia Supriyadi; Member of the Jakarta Regional House of Representatives (DPRD DKI Jakarta) Kevin Wu; representatives of Indonesian Buddhists; representatives of Buddhist organizations in Indonesia; and the IBEA board members.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Head of Bureau for Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency
