Amsterdam, 17 September 2024 – The Foreign Minister of the Republic of Indonesia, H.E. Retno L.P. Marsudi, alongside the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, H.E. Mayerfas, unveiled the signboard of the newly renovated building on Brachthuijzerstraat 4 Amsterdam, in a symbolic ceremony of the official inauguration of Indonesia House Amsterdam. It is the biggest and the most multifaceted Indonesia’s Promotion Centre in Europe.
The building once served as the Indonesian Consulate General Office since 1967 had been vacant for almost five decades following its closure in 1976. Ambassador Mayerfas took on the mission to restore the building after the Government of Indonesia in 2020 decided to make use of the building again.
Briefly halted by COVID, the renovation work began in July 2021 and was completed by the end of 2022. The building started operational in the beginning of 2023.
Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi herself accorded the newly revived building its name ‘Indonesia House Amsterdam’, shortened as IHA. “Indonesia House Amsterdam must well represent the modern face of Indonesia, the best of Indonesia.” She further emphasized that the building would be the hub of economic and cultural promotion of Indonesia in the Netherlands.
On a blue marble inscription stone, Minister Retno wrote: The House is another ‘bridge’ connecting Indonesia, the Netherlands, and Europe.
During his welcoming remarks, Ambassador Mayerfas described that IHA, a five-storey building with a total area of more than 1,400 sqm, was by far the biggest and the most comprehensive Indonesia promotion centre overseas. Every floor is dedicated to a promotion platform that will benefit the people of Indonesia and strengthen the collaboration between the two people and the two countries. “Four years ago, this building was piles of old, worn bricks, and deserted. Now we can see it regain its life and have a promising and thriving future once again”.
The Dutch Director-General for Culture and Media, Barbera Wolfensberger, commended the inauguration of Indonesia House Amsterdam and looked forward to the upcoming events at the house. More than 70 persons attended the inauguration ceremony.
Since 2023, IHA has hosted several events, such as the Trade, Tourism, and Investment (TTI) Forum, Indonesia-the Netherlands Start-up Dialogues, the Batak Ulos Exhibition, the Sustainable Batik Fashion Show, and many others. In the coming months, it will also proudly present several promotional events, among others Indonesia Spice Week Amsterdam and the First Indonesia Medical Wellness Tourism Expo.
After the inauguration, Minister Retno also visited Sekolah Indonesia Den Haag (SIDH) located in Wassenaar to greet the students and teachers of the school. She claimed to be the first minister to visit the school. She further admitted that she has been deeply rooted and has a special connection with the Netherlands, in the past, present, and future.
Minister Retno underscored the crucial role of education in the success of a country. Her last message to the students was that there were two keys to success: study and hard work.
Additionally. It was an enormous pleasure to see Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, a former Ambassador of Indonesia in The Hague again. Her stint as Foreign Minister will end soon and we congratulate her on her appointment as the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy on water, Bravo.
