The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia organised a two-day festival on the 21st & 22nd of November to celebrate the history behind Batik, an ancient tradition of textile design in Southeast Asia using wax and natural dyes. The event was inaugurated by Her Excellency Rina P. Soemarno, where she gave an informative talk on Batik and its status as an “oral and intangible heritage of humanity”. She further discussed the popularity of Indonesian Batik in Bangladesh, saying she sometimes has to do a double take when she sees someone wearing it on the street.
The festival began with a fashion show exhibiting the work of fashion designer Ai Sharif, where he combined traditional Batik textiles and modern, stylish cuts. This was followed by a talk show on the importance and relevance of Batik today and a workshop the next day, teaching guests how to make Batik for themselves. The event was organised wonderfully, exhibiting the best of Indonesian design and hospitality.