Jakarta (ANTARA) – Deputy Tourism Minister Ni Luh Puspa said the 2026 Baliem Valley Cultural Festival (FBLB) served as a platform to promote the arts and culture of Highland Papua Province.
She said the festival, held in Jayawijaya District from August 7 to 8, 2026, provided a space to introduce Highland Papua’s culture to a wider audience, including foreign tourists.
According to a ministry press statement received here on Saturday, Puspa said the Baliem Valley is rich in natural resources, culture, and traditions that have been well preserved.
She said these assets could help offer visitors an authentic tourism experience in Highland Papua.
The Baliem Valley Cultural Festival is included in the Top 10 Kharisma Event Nusantara (KEN) 2026 list, affirming its position as one of the leading cultural festivals supporting Indonesia’s tourism competitiveness.
Puspa said the local arts and culture festival creates opportunities for artists, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), as well as businesses in the accommodation, transportation, and culinary sectors.
“Arts and tourism have the power to drive the community’s economy,” she said.
She explained that the benefits could be felt not only by the government and the public, but also by cultural artists, MSMEs, accommodation and transportation providers, and food and beverage businesses.
During her visit to Jayawijaya, the deputy minister also held a dialogue with residents on strengthening local arts and culture studios. She said the Tourism Ministry and the Cooperatives Ministry would collaborate to support the development of the local arts and culture ecosystem and create economic opportunities for artists.
“Together with the Cooperatives Ministry, we are committed to collaborating so these studios can continue to grow, preserve tradition, and provide economic benefits for the community,” she said.
Cooperatives Minister Ferry Juliantono said the government was seeking to empower artists through cooperative-based business development.
“Leading products such as Wamena Coffee and various other potential commodities will also be developed by strengthening the economic scale of cooperatives so their benefits are felt more by the community,” he said.
Related news: Baliem Valley Festival drives economy, tourism in Highland Papua
Translator: Hreeloita, Kenzu
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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