"Indonesia-Spain: 55 Years of Friendship"

MADRID. A book, Indonesia-Spain: 55 Years of Friendship, has been launched at the Indonesian Embassy in Madrid during a joint event, the Friends of Indonesia Luncheon.

“The book launch was attended by many Spanish officials, including director generals for North America, Asia Pacific and the Philippines at Spain's Foreign Ministry and a couple of former Spanish ambassadors to Indonesia,” Madrid’s Indonesian Embassy counselor, Theodorus Satrio Nugroho, said on Thursday as quoted by Antara.

At the event, which highlights the ties between Indonesia and Spain, Indonesian Ambassador to Spain Yuli Mumpuni Widarso officially presented the book to the Foreign Ministry's director general for North America and Asia Pacific, Ernesto de Zuleta Habsburgo Lorena.

As a pinnacle of Indonesia-Spain relations, the book features a series of hopes and thoughts written by Spanish and Indonesian nationals regarding the two countries’ foreign ties.

Several writers offered their personal views during the event; they included Pablo de Bergia, a former CASA official; Paco Lopez from the Nusantara Foundation; Jose Luiz from Spaindo, and Maria Archer, an architect who helped design and rebuild homes in Aceh after the tsunami in 2004.

Also at the event were two chefs from Bandung, promoting Indonesian cuisine. They had also organized the catering for the event.

Previously on Jan. 27 - Feb. 2, the two chefs participated at the Indonesian Gastronomy 2014 event, which was held at the InterContinental Hotel Madrid.

The joint program was organized by the Indonesian Embassy in Madrid, the Intercontinental Hotel Madrid and Indonesia's Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry. (bcw)