Diplomacy Selling Indonesian Must Be Intensive Ahead of Pope Francis’ Visit

In fact, it will be carried out more intensively ahead of Pope Francis’ visit to Indonesia in September 2024.

Public diplomacy as an instrument of soft power is an effort to influence other people or organizations outside their country in a positive way so as to change that person’s perspective on a country.

This conclusion was expressed by Algooth Putranto, a lecturer in Communication Studies at Pembangunan Jaya University (UPJ) after direct discussions with a number of officials at the Vatican Holy See who came from Indonesia and a number of officials from Vatican News, the official portal of the Vatican Holy See.

“UNESCO’s recognition of Indonesian as an official language at the UN and Pope Francis’ planned visit to Indonesia are two important moments that should be utilized by all parties, especially universities,” he said on Thursday (18/4/2024).

Algooth Putranto was the only academic in the civil society delegation of the Indonesian Catholic Journalists Association (PWKI) who visited the Vatican.

The PWKI delegation present was Mayong Suryo Laksono, Tri Agung Kristanto, and AM Putut Prabantoro (Council of Trustees) and L Gora Kunjana (Secretary).

During the visit, PWKI discussed with a number of important officials from Indonesia, namely Father Agustinus Purnomo MSF, Father Budi Kleden SVD and Father Laurentius Tarpin OSC.

The three of them are generals (supreme leaders) in their respective congregations and are headquartered in Rome, Italy.