Islamabad:The Embassy of Indonesia inaugurated the Indonesian Corner at the National Library of Pakistan here, marking a key milestone in strengthening cultural, educational and intellectual relations between the two brotherly nations.
The ceremony was hosted by Ambassador Chandra W. Sukotjo and attended by national heritage and culture minister Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, prime secretary of the National Library of Indonesia Dr. Joko Santoso and director general of the National Library of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Shahzad Muzaffar.
ASEAN ambassadors, senior officials, members of the diplomatic corps, Indonesian students and representatives of the Pakistani community were also present. Ambassador Sukotjo highlighted the Indonesian Corner as a symbol of mutual trust and enduring friendship.
Drawing on his military background, he said: “Trusting your colleagues means trusting them with your weapons. In the same spirit, the dedicated space for the Indonesian Corner at the National Library of Pakistan stands as a powerful symbol of Pakistan’s trust in Indonesia and its confidence in our longstanding friendship. We are sincerely grateful for this trust.”
Khichi described the Corner as a bridge between the peoples of both nations. “It will provide greater access to Indonesia’s literature, heritage, and intellectual traditions, and will support research, learning and cultural understanding for students and visitors alike. Such initiatives strengthen not only our institutions but also the people-to-people connections that define enduring friendships,” he said.
A key highlight was the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the National Libraries of Indonesia and Pakistan, formalising cooperation in library and information management.
DG Muzaffar emphasised the importance of the partnership and pledged support for programmes at the Indonesian Corner. Dr. Joko Santoso noted that the Corner represented a milestone in bilateral ties, and pledged to donate 1,000 books to further enrich it.
