'India and Indonesia know how to manage diversities and can learn from each other’s experience'

NEW DELHI: India and Indonesia – both multi-religious and pluralist countries – know how to manage diversities and can learn from each other’s experience suggested Anies Baswedan, Indonesian Minister of Education and Culture.

Baswedan considered a future leader of the world’s biggest archipelago was on a recent visit to India fulfilling one of his dreams from the college days in USA when he had several friends from here. "India is a country of great diversity. This is its beauty. Whenever people back home asks me about complexities I say look at India which is managing so many complex issues," Baswedan told ET. Like India, Indonesia also has 600 spoken languages across the various islands of the country, informed Baswedan.

The Minister’s comments are significant amid the sectarian strife that is being witnessed in various parts of the world.

He indicated that he would like to bring cultures of these two countries closer which have many things in common over centuries including Ramayana tales, religion and places of worship.

Baswedan also asserted the ministry would invite Indian professors, lecturers and teachers to visit Indonesia. According to him, India’s education was already well developed and even a number of Indians have become active globally.



The Minister expressed interest in the use of technology to increase educational outreach and to expand Teacher Training and the Mid-day Meal programme which was starting to operate in Eastern Indonesia now. He was also keen in the planning and administration aspects of education and hopes to initiate a process of greater collaboration between India and Indonesia.