Honai, a Papuan traditional house, went global at the ITU Telecom World Digital Telecommunications and Information Conference 2019 in Budapest, Hungary. Papua was chosen to represent the changing ideals of digital innovation of the archipelago.
A stepped dome of clumps of dry grass arranged stands prominently at the Indonesian Pavilion at the ITU Telecom World 2019 event at HungExpo, Budapest, Hungary, September 9-12. That is the main door as well as the most eye-catching part among dozens of pavilions of other countries, which are dominated by uniform modern and futuristic designs.
Honai, a traditional Papuan house, is the idea of building the main door chosen by the Ministry of Communication and Information (Kemkominfo). A number of visitors and participants of the World Telecommunications and Digital Information Conference were interested and asked about the building.
One of the compliments came from the Secretary General of the International Telecommunications Agency (ITU) of the United Nations (UN) Houlin Zhao. The figure of the UN agency in the field of information and telecommunications expressed his gratitude for Indonesia’s sincerity in developing digital technology.
Of course, not only in the form of pavilions, but also for inter-island connectivity through the Palapa Ring, a fiber optic network that has been completely built.
“We see Indonesia’s sincere commitment, which is also seen from this pavilion,” Zhao said while attending Indonesia Inclusion Day, Tuesday (10/9/2019).
The event was filled with presentations on the achievements of digital infrastructure development, connectivity, potential, utilization, to testimonials from regulators, operators, and start-ups in Indonesia. The event was also attended by Secretary General of the Ministry of Communication and Information Niken Widyastuti and Indonesian Ambassador to Hungary Dimas Wahab.
In the event, Indonesia also presented representatives of corporations and governments of other countries. They were treated to typical Indonesian arts and culture, including Balinese dance, warok reog ponorogo dance, and traditional dances of the Dayak people of Kalimantan.
To show the diversity of the archipelago, all Indonesian delegates also wore traditional clothes that attracted the attention of many conference participants.
One of them is Mirta Sari, a member of the event design team (EO) who wears a typical Balinese sarong and headdress in pink. “Some people ask for photos and wonder what clothes I’m wearing,” she said.
Regarding the selection of the Papua theme, Niken explained, it was not related to the current situation on the easternmost island. Everything has been prepared in advance.
However, specifically Papua was chosen to represent the ideals of change in the name of implementing digital innovation in the country.
In particular, Papua was chosen to represent the ideals of change in the name of implementing digital innovation in the country.
The Indonesian Pavilion was initiated and carried out by a creative team under the supervision of the Telecommunication and Information Accessibility Agency (Bakti) of the Ministry of Communication and Information. “Simultaneously, we have also just completed the eastern segment of the Palapa Ring project in Papua to open up regional isolation through internet connections,” said Anang Latif, President Director of Bakti Kemkominfo.
Until now, Papua has become one of the regions with the lowest exposure to internet access, among them due to mountainous geographical conditions and very expensive infrastructure networks. However, this year, along with the fiber optic network that has reached Papua, internet access is expected to immediately bring prosperous changes.
That spirit was also carried out at the digital conference in Hungary. Advances in technology and information coupled with internet access are able to hack gaps and eliminate borders to remote areas in any world.
No people left behind was echoed in digital innovation discussion sessions.
At the ITU Telecom World 2019 conference, collaboration between governments, corporations, and startups became the world’s new mantra to bring acceleration of change. No people left behind was echoed in digital innovation discussion sessions.
Far away in Budapest, hope for Papua and other regions that are more open to access is a symbol of the estuary of digital innovation to be addressed. More prosperous areas, hopefully it won’t take long.
Author: JS
Travel Vlogger, Journalist,
