Indonesia continues to strengthen its national identity in the international world. One of them is by consistently promoting Bhineka Tunggal Ika and gotong-royong to a global audience.

Minister of Communications and Digital Meutya Hafid revealed that in the current digital era, the strategic narrative approach has become an important instrument in nation branding strategies .

“One of Indonesia's intangible cultural assets, Bhinneka Tunggal Ika and gotong royong, must be consistently promoted as a reference for global audiences. Support from influential international figures must be documented and narrated as part of Indonesian culture,” Meutya said at the World Public Relations Forum 2024 event in Nusa Dua, Bali, Wednesday (20/11/2024).

Meutya gave an example in 2018 International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde highlighted Unity in Diversity and Gotong Royong as key factors in Indonesia's economic resilience over the past two decades. Meutya added that Pope Francis during his visit to Indonesia also praised Unity in Diversity as a unifier of cultural values to achieve global peace. 

“Recognizing the power of digital platforms, Indonesia is leveraging technology and social media to strengthen its image. This includes leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to create and disseminate diverse cultural content such as art, music, and traditional practices through personalized platforms,” Meutya explained.

According to Meutya, in the era of digital transformation where data and information flow rapidly, Indonesia prioritizes digital literacy programs as an integral component of education and public awareness campaigns. This initiative, she said, empowers people to critically assess and verify information and use it to share. 

“Social media platforms are actively encouraged to monitor the spread of misinformation by identifying and removing harmful content while ensuring transparency in new sources to uphold information integrity. Artificial intelligence and big data analytics are used to collect and monitor millions of negative content in real time, enabling quick and accurate government responses,” Meutya said.

Meutya added that the Indonesian government also encourages collaborative efforts in managing positive narratives through cultural diplomacy and strategic use of media.  By utilizing the power of cultural diplomacy, Meutya said, Indonesia can foster mutual understanding, respect diversity, and appreciate the unique cultural heritage of each nation.