VZCZCXRO6747
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #0548/01 0771038
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 171038Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8370
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2188
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4829
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1681
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4474
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 3374
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHJS/AMCONSUL SURABAYA 2127

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000548 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, EAP/PD, OES/ETC, OES/STC, OES/SAT, OES/PCI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO SENV TPHY TBIO TRGY ID
SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENTAL OUTREACH WITH NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC 
 
JAKARTA 00000548  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: Embassy Jakarta co-hosted a reception on March 14 
with National Geographic (NG) and Indonesian television network ANTV 
at the Ambassador's residence.  More than 200 guests from the media, 
government, civil society, and the private sector attended.  The 
event, titled "Celebrate Indonesia's Natural and Cultural 
Diversity", thanked NG for its efforts to raise public awareness 
about the environment and for its contribution to the "Art in 
Embassies" program; commemorated the first "all-Indonesia" issue of 
National Geographic magazine; and provided a forum for a diverse 
group of stakeholders to meet and discuss potential future 
environmental projects. ANTV and other local print media covered the 
unique evening, which doubled as both a representational event and a 
program. End Summary. 
 
RECOGNIZING NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) Using a giant version of current March 2008 NG all-Indonesia 
issue as a backdrop, the event featured a gallery of photographs 
from the new issue, a live demonstration of Indonesian traditional 
martial arts and music, NG photographers taking pictures of guests, 
a looped video presentation of National Geographic Television's 
"Wild Indonesia" and a special "dessert volcano."  The Ambassador 
and his co-hosts opened the giant issue to reveal a large-scale 
version NG's newly updated political map of Indonesia. 
 
¶3. (U) Joining Ambassador Hume in commemorating this edition was 
media mogul Jakob Oetama, whose Gramedia company publishes National 
Geographic in Indonesian as well as ANTV President-Director Anin 
Bakrie.  Among the VIP and celebrity guests attending were the Hong 
Kong-based CEO of Star, Ltd., which is ANTV's partner in Asia; Dr. 
Birute Galdikas, co-founder of the Orangutan Foundation 
International, which USAID assists and who has appeard twice on the 
cover of the international editio of "National Geographic";* and 
over 30 televisio and film stars. 
 
 
A FORUM FOR NEW PARTNERSHIPS 
---------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Embassy offcers facilitated introductions among the diversegroup of celebrities, activists, government officils, and business 
representatives in attendance. or many guests, the reception 
provided an opportnity to meet contacts outside of their usual 
sphees.  Participants discussed environmental projectsranging from 
a proposed eco-village outside of Jkarta to broader Indonesian and 
regional priorites such as the Heart of Borneo and Coral Triangle 
Initiatives.  Copies of the new "Art in Embassies"brochure, which 
included photography from Nationl Geographic featuring images of 
Indonesia on diplay in the residence, were given to guests. 
 
MEIA COVERAGE 
-------------- 
 
¶5. (U) ANTV's "Topc Paggi" mnj*n* news program on March 15, 
featured a story about the r`a tion.nesian 
natural diversity and its importance for Indonesians and thewworld. 
"Wild Indonesia," a National Geography dou mentary which will be 
aired on ANTV soon, was asso mentioned as well as the launch of the 
new Ino*nesian political map inside the March issue. 
 
¶6. (U) On March 16, ANTV's infotainment program "Espresso" ran a 
feature story on the event, using short interviews from artists and 
celebrities who attended.  The piece showed ANTV President-Director 
Bakrie on camera, specifically talking about the cooperation between 
the Embassy, ANTV and National Geography, and their shared common 
vision.  The program was rebroadcast later the same day. 
 
¶7. (U) March 17 coverage in "Kompas," Indonesia's leading national 
daily newspaper, featured an article on the event. Post anticipates 
further coverage in several magazines -- all of which is unusual for 
a private diplomatic event. 
 
Comment 
---------- 
 
¶8. (U) The event served as an effective follow-up to the recent 
United Nations COP-13 Climate Change Conference hosted in Bali in 
December of 2007.  It brought together a good cross-section of 
public and private Embassy partners and key media players, and 
 
JAKARTA 00000548  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
clearly demonstrated the U.S. Government's interest in working 
together with Indonesia to increase environmental cooperation and 
partnership. 
 
HUME