Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Creative Economy said that art and culture play an important role in strengthening the national creative economy ecosystem while also opening opportunities for cultural practitioners to reach global markets.“We believe that culture plays an important role in strengthening the national and global creative economy ecosystem,” Director of Fine Arts and Performing Arts at the ministry Dadam Mahdar said at the “Culture Beyond Borders: International Cultural Showcase” event at the Bank Indonesia Museum here on Saturday.According to him, performing arts and visual arts can serve as a means of promoting Indonesian culture internationally while also generating economic value for cultural practitioners.He said cultural exchange activities such as “Culture Beyond Borders” are important because they can strengthen relations between nations through cultural diplomacy.“In an increasingly interconnected world, culture is not only a national identity, but also a bridge for diplomacy, a space for dialogue, and a means of building mutual understanding among people around the world,” he said.Mahdar added that the ministry encourages Indonesian arts and cultural works to become more widely recognized globally so they can provide economic benefits to artists and cultural workers.He also said collaboration between the government, cultural communities, and friendly nations is needed to expand the promotion of Indonesian culture on the international stage.Meanwhile, Founder of Belantara Budaya Indonesia, Diah Kusumawardani Wijayanti, said that cultural preservation drives economic activity across various supporting sectors.She gave an example that cultural performances involve the use of kebaya, traditional fabrics, accessories, and various artistic equipment that benefit entrepreneurs in the cultural sector.The “Culture Beyond Borders: International Cultural Showcase” event was held to commemorate the 13th anniversary of Belantara Budaya Indonesia as well as to celebrate the 499th anniversary of the City of Jakarta. The event featured cultural performances from Indonesia and several friendly countries, including Russia, Pakistan, Thailand, Palestine, Turkey, and Japan.