The international event will showcase the region’s culinary, cultural, and investment potential to foreign ambassadors and diplomats from 28 countries.
West Nusa Tenggara Province is set to host the 2025 Indonesia Gastrodiplomacy Series (IGS), which has been taking place from Thursday, 8th of May to Sunday, 11th of May 2025. This international event will serve as an important platform to showcase the culinary, cultural, and economic potential of West Nusa Tenggara to the world.
The event is being organised through a collaboration between the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, the West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Government, the Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), and Pelita Air.
IGS 2025 will welcome 38 foreign ambassadors and diplomats from 28 countries, led by the Expert Staff for Socio-Cultural Affairs and Empowerment of Indonesian Communities Abroad, Ambassador R. Heru Hartanto Subolo. Participating nations include Kuwait, Singapore, Jordan, Slovakia, Zimbabwe, Serbia, Ukraine, Poland, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Cuba, Mauritania, Cambodia, Laos, England, Austria, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, South Korea, the Philippines, Fiji, China, Finland, the United Arab Emirates, and the Netherlands.
West Nusa Tenggara Governor Lalu Muhamad Iqbal personally welcomed the delegates at Zainuddin Abdul Madjid International Airport. Iqbal expressed his pride in West Nusa Tenggara being chosen as the host and hoped that all state guests would enjoy the full programme of activities that had been carefully prepared.
“We want the guests to feel the warmth of West Nusa Tenggara, starting from the culinary taste, cultural richness, to the extraordinary economic potential of our region,” he said.
Iqbal added that the event represented a golden opportunity to introduce the richness of West Nusa Tenggara to the world, from its stunning natural beauty and cultural diversity to its culinary and investment potential.
“This event is a golden opportunity to introduce the culinary richness of West Nusa Tenggara to the world. Through food, we can get closer to the guests and increase their interest in coming and investing here,” Iqbal told the press on Thursday evening, 8th of May 2025.
Meanwhile, Subolo highlighted that the IGS activity is part of a wider initiative entitled Indonesia Spice Up the World, a national programme aimed at promoting Indonesia’s culinary heritage on the global stage.
“By sharing the taste, aroma, and stories behind Indonesian cuisine, we hope to build a broader cultural understanding, while encouraging the growth of the creative economy,” he explained.
Over the four days in West Nusa Tenggara, delegates will be invited to explore a number of iconic destinations, including the Ampenan Museum and Old Town, Bilebante Green Tourism Village, and enjoy a traditional Lombok sunset dinner.
In addition, participants will visit the Mandalika Special Economic Zone to explore its investment and tourism potential with ITDC, and witness the ongoing Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia 2025 international racing event.
For context, the Indonesia Gastrodiplomacy Series (IGS) has been held five times in various regions and is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, using culinary experiences as a means of cultural diplomacy, international dialogue, and the promotion of Trade, Tourism, and Investment.