Jakarta, 26 April, 2026 – The Deputy Minister of Creative Economy/Deputy Head of the Creative Economy Agency, Irene Umar, engaged in a discussion with the Ternate and Tidore Islands diaspora to explore the potential of regional narratives as creative assets with broad impact. The Deputy Minister expressed hope that this discussion would strengthen the creative ecosystem in Eastern Indonesia.
The Deputy Minister of Creative Economy, Irene Umar, held a discussion with the Ternate and Tidore Islands diaspora at the ‘Bacarita Basudara’ event held at Backyard Hotel Borobudur Jakarta on Sunday (26/4/2026).
“The creative economy is how we bring stories from the East to the global stage. We must move as one Indonesia with the spirit of mutual cooperation. Let us agree on a unified branding and collective hashtag so that our cultural potential and digital assets can ‘penetrate’ the global market massively, without having to leave home,” said the Deputy Minister of Creative Economy during the discussion at ‘Bacarita Basudara’ held at Backyard Hotel Borobudur Jakarta on Sunday (26/4).
Bacarita Basudara is a collaboration between the Indonesian Municipal Governments Association (APEKSI) Muda and the Timur Network Foundation, forming an integral part of the “Discover The Natural Treasure of Ternate and Tidore” program. The event brought together government representatives, urban advocacy networks, and was attended by 100 young diaspora participants from North Maluku along with members of APEKSI Muda.
With the concept of “Ngobrol Tanpa Panggung” (stage-free discussion), the Deputy Minister positioned the dialogue as an equal platform focused on mapping potentials and challenges in transforming regional identity and culture into economic value. Through the perspective of youth, the activity aimed to formulate collaborative solutions to strengthen the creative ecosystem and urban development in Ternate and Tidore.
“Informal spaces like this are essential to break down formal barriers so that big ideas can emerge from small stories. We want to ensure that voices and realities from the East are given an honest and equal platform in the development of the national creative economy,” said the Deputy Minister.
Documentation: Bureau for Communication of the Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency.
Furthermore, through the session ‘Dengar Teman Bacarita Punya Story,’ the Deputy Minister directly accommodated youth aspirations into tangible collaborative initiatives, with the Ministry of Creative Economy acting as a facilitator to strengthen the Eastern Indonesia ecosystem through strategies such as limited-edition products and exclusive digital-based tourism to foster competitive and sustainable business growth in the global market.
In line with this, the Executive Director of APEKSI, Alwis Rustam, emphasized the importance of cities in Eastern Indonesia within the national creative economy roadmap. He highlighted collaboration through APEKSI Muda as a proactive approach to capturing opportunities.
“We want cities like Ternate and Tidore to be known not only for their spice trade history, but also for the innovation of their youth. The aspirations gathered today will be brought to the policy level at the municipal government to ensure infrastructure and regulatory support that is conducive for local creative players,” said Alwis Rustam.
Through this agenda, the Ministry of Creative Economy reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that government policies reach all levels of society through synergy between the central government, municipal governments, and creative networks such as APEKSI and Timur Network. This collaboration aims to create an inclusive ecosystem for young talents across regions, while strengthening the position of the creative economy as the new engine of growth driven from the regions.
Documentation: Bureau for Communication of the Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency.
Also accompanying the Deputy Minister of Creative Economy at the event was the Secretary to the Deputy for Creativity in Culture and Design of the Ministry of Creative Economy, Amir Hamzah.
The event was also attended by the Special Staff to the President of the Republic of Indonesia for MSMEs and Technology, Tiar Nabilla K; the Mayor of Ternate, M. Tauhid Soleman; the Deputy Mayor of Tidore Islands, Ahmad Laiman; the Executive Director of APEKSI, Alwis Rustam; and the Chief Operating Officer of Timur Network Foundation, Rafflyansah.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Head of Bureau for Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency
