AIYA wishes you Happy Easter! In the spirit of this special occasion, read Diyanti Koroh’s experience in celebrating Easter in Kupang from our archives (article is in Indonesian).

In the news

  • Jokowi embracing the idea of Australia joining ASEAN is a significant marker for Australia since Suharto’s ASEAN era. What does Australia need to do to this rapidly changing region? Graeme Dobell of ASPI writes that building trust and being ready to go all in will be a natural and proper part of Australia’s Asian future.
  • Indonesia’s Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by Ahok to review his conviction for insulting Islam, a court spokesman said on Monday, so the ex-governor of Jakarta will serve out his two-year sentence.
  • Tensions between Freeport and the Indonesian government seem to remain in negotiation. Nurkholis Hidayat and Valerie Tan write that the rights of Freeport’s thousands of local workers have been ignored.
  • Indonesian fathers who are civil servants are now eligible for up to one month of parental leave, but some families are choosing not to take it up or think it’s too much time.
  • Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) workers call each other “bro” and “sis”, and their leader sets the sartorial standard with a pair of ripped jeans. This ‘millennials party’ dares to break Indonesia’s political mould.
  • The punk movement is notable for its anti-establishment stance and distinct music and fashion style. In Indonesia, some of punk bands have transformed into a group of pious people. They’ve built a new generation of punk subculture they call Islamic punk.
  • Indonesian ride-hailing and online payment company Go-Jek is set to announce its first expansion to another country in Southeast Asia, shortly after Uber Technologies Inc agreed to sell its Southeast Asian business to regional rival Grab.

On the blog

  • Chenaniah ‘Ken’ Darma has a dream career to utilise his skills and passion for events, marketing and media to empower the next generation of future leaders. His contribution to Australian and Indonesian youth led him to be a Culture category finalist at the Australia Indonesia Awards. What is he up to next? Read in this week’s Career Champion series!

Events

  • Yogya, 3 April (every Tuesday) – Come to the weekly futsal event with AIYA Yogyakarta for a fun atmosphere and meet new people! No futsal skills are required – all you need is to come to Pro 2 Futsal at Komplek RRI from 5-7 pm.
  • Yogya, 5 April (every Thursday) – If futsal is not your thing, head to Depok Sports Center in Jalan Raya Seturan-Kledokan from 6-8 pm to AIYA Yogyakarta’s weekly badminton event. Everyone is welcome and bring rackets and shuttlecocks if you have them for a fun-filled and active evening.
  • Melbourne, 5 April – AIYA VIC hosts Basa-Basi with Batik Girl, featuring Lusia Kiroyan (Founder of Batik Girl) and Hj. Noor Lizah Nurdin (The Lady of Governor of Riau Islands Province) at Sidney Myer Asia Centre, University of Melbourne.
  • Sydney, 12 April – Attend Digital Rights and Governance in Asia: The State of the Arts hosted by Sydney Ideas. The event will explore the issues, challenges and opportunities for the nations and the region.
  • Sydney 3 – 26 April – Visit Fountain Court at Parliament House to check out Jesslyn Putri Imelda’s painting exhibition this month! With the theme of The World, Through Colours, Jesslyn’s work showcasing Indonesia can be seen from 9 am – 5 pm.

Opportunities

  • Applications for ACICIS’ International Relations Program (IRP), Indonesian Business, Law & Society Program (IBLS) and Agriculture Semester Program (ASP) close 15 April! This is a great opportunity to live, study and intern in Indonesia. $5,000-$7,000 New Colombo Plan grants are available for eligible students.
  • Australia Awards in Indonesia is pleased to announce that applications for Australia Awards Scholarships are now open until 30 April. The scholarships provide opportunities for individuals to gain an internationally recognised master or doctoral qualification from an Australian university and have the chance to pursue a career that makes a difference.
  • Following the recent announcement of the retirement of ACICIS Founding Director, ACICIS Study Indonesia is inviting interested parties to enquire about the Consortium Director’s role that will be advertised through The University of Western Australia in the coming months. Click here for more information regarding the call for expressions of interest for the role.
  • Check out experiential learning trip in Bali and Lombok this April organised by CERES Global. The trip will focus on building friendships with organisations and groups involved in marine protection with a particular emphasis on plastic waste in our oceans.
  • Don’t miss out Australian Indonesian Association of Victoria’s Term 2 Bahasa Indonesia Language Classes! Take advantage of their early bird offer of 10% discount by signing up online before 7 April.
  • Learning a language? Get Indonesian & English language help with UniBRIDGE Project.

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