CHANDI Summit 2025: Cultural Diplomacy and Indonesia's Soft Power Strategy

The CHANDI Summit 2025 (Culture, Heritage, Arts, Narrative, Diplomacy, and Innovation) represents Indonesia's most ambitious cultural diplomacy initiative, positioning the nation as a global leader in intercultural dialogue. Held from September 3-5, 2025, in Bali, the summit serves as both a platform for cultural promotion and soft diplomacy, coinciding with Indonesia's 80th anniversary of independence.

Key Outcomes:

• 31 international delegates from diverse nations including ASEAN members, Middle Eastern, African, and Western countries

• Establishment of the Bali Cultural Initiative Declaration

• Enhanced cultural cooperation frameworks for post-2030 global development

• Strategic positioning within ASEAN's cultural diplomacy landscape

Strategic Context and Significance

ASEAN Cultural Framework Integration

The summit strategically aligns with ASEAN's Strategic Plan for Culture and Arts 2016-2025, which aims to "deepen an ASEAN mindset and facilitate intercultural dialogue among the peoples of ASEAN through engagement of various stakeholders". This positioning reinforces Indonesia's leadership role in regional cultural cooperation.

Diplomatic Architecture

Minister Fadli Zon emphasized that the event serves as "a milestone for Indonesia's cultural diplomacy and future cultural cooperation," leveraging Indonesia's "mega-diversity" to make domestic culture more visible internationally.

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Cultural Diplomacy Outcomes and Strategic Implications

Immediate Deliverables

1. Bali Cultural Initiative Declaration: A comprehensive framework for international cultural cooperation and sustainable development

2. Institutional Partnerships: Enhanced collaboration with UNESCO, ICOM, ICOMOS, and regional cultural institutions

3. Capacity Building Networks: Academic partnerships with institutions like Udayana University and Indonesian Institute of Arts (ISI) Bali

Long-term Strategic Benefits

For Indonesia:

• Soft Power Enhancement: Positioning as regional cultural leader

• Tourism Diplomacy: Leveraging successful cultural promotion models like Pacu Jalur for systematic international engagement

• Creative Economy Development: International market access for cultural products

• Academic Diplomacy: Research collaboration and knowledge exchange

For ASEAN:

• Unity in Diversity Narrative: Reinforcing ASEAN's commitment to "cultural diversity with emphasis on long-lasting cultural threads that bind the region"

• Global Positioning: Collective voice in international cultural forums

• Economic Integration: Creative industries cooperation and cross-border cultural commerce

For Global Cultural Cooperation:

• Post-2030 Framework: Cultural integration in sustainable development agendas

• Heritage Protection: Enhanced international mechanisms for cultural property protection

• Climate-Culture Nexus: Innovative approaches to heritage preservation in climate change context

Recommendations for Future Development

Short-term Actions (2025-2026)

1. Implementation Monitoring: Establish tracking mechanisms for Bali Cultural Initiative commitments

2. Follow-up Dialogues: Organize bilateral and multilateral cultural cooperation agreements

3. Capacity Building: Launch scholarship and exchange programs identified during summit workshops

Medium-term Strategy (2026-2028)

1. Institutional Development: Create permanent secretariat for CHANDI initiatives

2. Economic Integration: Develop ASEAN cultural common market frameworks

3. Technology Deployment: Scale digital heritage initiatives across participating nations

Long-term Vision (2028-2030)

1. Global Leadership: Position CHANDI as premier international cultural diplomacy platform

2. Sustainable Development Integration: Embed cultural approaches in post-2030 global development frameworks

3. Next-generation Engagement: Expand youth and educational institution participation

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Conclusion

CHANDI Summit 2025 represents a paradigm shift in cultural diplomacy, moving beyond traditional government-to-government cultural exchanges toward comprehensive multi-stakeholder engagement. Minister Fadli Zon's vision of using the summit to "reproduce Indonesia's cultural wealth and civilization to the world" has been realized through innovative programming that balances high-level diplomatic dialogue with practical cultural skills transfer.

The summit's success in attracting diverse international participation demonstrates Indonesia's soft power capabilities and reinforces its position as a bridge between different cultural regions. Integration with ASEAN's strategic cultural framework ensures sustainable regional impact, while focus on post-2030 development goals positions participating nations at the forefront of global cultural policy innovation.

For government stakeholders working at ASEAN and APEC levels, CHANDI Summit 2025 provides a model for multilateral cultural cooperation that effectively combines diplomatic, economic, educational, and technological dimensions. The summit's comprehensive approach offers valuable lessons for scaling similar initiatives across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.