Canada opens resource center in Yogyakarta

Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

Canadian Ambassador to Indonesia John Holmes officially opened on Monday the UIN-McGill Canadian Resource Center which is set to promote Canada and expand people-to-people links between the archipelago and the North American country.

Holmes said the center is the first of its kind in Indonesia and underscored important links between the two countries.

"This project was conceived, funded and implemented by UIN (State Islamic University) Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta and McGill University and stands as an excellent example of academic cooperation between Canada and Indonesia," Holmes said.

Situated at UIN's University Library on Jl. Laksda Adisucipto Yogyakarta, the center features a collection of printed and audiovisual materials on Canada.

It has a space for future activities including discussions, workshops and film screenings.

Holmes also said his office would try to make sure it integrated the center into general embassy activities.

He said as an example when the embassy had speakers coming to Jakarta, it would try to make sure their programs included the center, to give book readings or academic discussions.

"That is very much the embassy's goal," Holmes said.

The ambassador said he hoped the center would also advance an important partnership on the study of Canada in Indonesia, especially because both countries had a great deal in common.

"We have a lot to learn from each other, from our different experience with multi-culturalism and pluralism," Holmes said.

Phillip Buckley of McGill University said he hoped the center would not just offer displays or a space for Indonesians to learn more about Canada.

"One other thing I really look for is that this center will become a vibrant center of intellectual life in comparative analysis and that more and more Canadians will come here to learn about ourselves through the way in which you look at Canada," he said.

"Perhaps we are coming in a full circle.

"At one point some Indonesian scholars came to McGill to learn about Islam.

"In the future Canadian scholars will come to the UIN Yogyakarta to learn about Canada," he said.

Speaking to The Jakarta Post at the opening ceremony on Monday, Holmes said there were some 1,100 registered Canadians living in Indonesia, some 60 of whom were in Yogyakarta.

"The number could double if we include those who do not report to the embassy.

The next resource center would be established next year at UIN Jakarta, he said.

Also at the opening ceremony was the chairman of the country's second biggest Muslim organization Muhammadiyah Din Syamsuddin and UIN Sunan Kalijaga Rector Amin Abdullah.