Makassar Potential to be UNESCO's Creative City
5 July 2014 13:22 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said Makassar had the potential to be promoted as a creative city to the UNESCO.
“Makassar has the potential, especially in films,” Mari told Tempo on Thursday, July 3, 2014, adding that the city has a number of international film festival winners.
Since the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry was involved in interactions with Makassar, Mari believes that Makassar has a huge potential.
“I’m looking at two or three cities [to be promoted] outside of Java and Bali. Right now, I’m looking at Makassar,” she said.
According to Mari, being a creative city has a number of advantages, including cultural and economic development. In addition, the central government will allocate special budget to boost creative programs.
The creative programs included infrastructure development, assistance in education and supports for creative city ecosystem. Mari added that creative economy development is always city-based, such as Hollywood in the United States and Busan in South Korea.
“To be a creative city, the local government plays important role,” Mari said.
The government is currently proposing Pekalongan, Yogyakarta, Solo and Bandung as creative cities to the UNESCO. The process has been ongoing for two years and the result will be announced in October 2015. Mari hoped that by 2025, Indonesia has eight internationally-acknowledged creative cities.
ALI HIDAYAT