Jakarta, (Antara) - Twenty-two grade 10 students and two of their teachers in the Indonesian program at St. John the Evangelist High School Nowra, Australia are visiting Indonesia to learn "Bahasa Indonesia" or the Indonesian language, according to a press release issued by the Indonesian Consulate General in Sydney and received by Antara here on Monday.
The initiative comes as part of the "Visiting the Consulate General" program which aims to motivate students and teachers of Indonesian program in high schools in Sydney and surrounding areas to continue to pursue Indonesian as a second language.
The Australian students and teachers were welcomed by the Indonesian Consul General in Sydney, Yayan G.H Mulyana.
"Indonesian is easy to learn and is the gateway to know more about arts and culture in Indonesia which are very diverse, from Sumatra in the westernmost part to the easternmost Papua," Yayan added.
He explained that since Indonesia and Australia are geographically very close, Indonesia will be a great partner for Australia in the future.
Promoting Indonesian among the secondary schools¿ students in New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia is a priority program of the Consulate General in Sydney, run in cooperation with the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra.
The program is expected to enhance people to people contact between Indonesia and Australia, which is also the priority area in the bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
"Visiting the Consulate General" program comprises several activities, including watching Indonesian films, a program called Little Bit Taste of Indonesian Culinary, and an Angklung (a traditional musical instrument made of bamboo) interactive session in which the song "Indonesia Tanah Air Beta" is played as guided by Angklung Nafirision Group of the Indonesian Presbyterian Church, Sydney.(*)
