The sea breeze that sweeps through Kupang’s coastline in early November will carry more than just the scent of salt and coral. It will carry the rhythms of drums, the songs of Pacific islanders, and the voices of diplomats gathering for a historic moment in Indonesia’s easternmost gateway. From 11 to 13 November 2025, Kupang, the capital of Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT), will transform into the cultural heart of the Pacific as it hosts the Indonesia-Pacific Cultural Synergy (IPACS) 2025—a festival designed not merely as a celebration of heritage, but as a diplomatic stage where culture becomes the bridge of sovereignty, unity, and cooperation.
Organized by the Indonesian Ministry of Culture, IPACS 2025 is expected to draw delegations from 17 Pacific nations, including Vanuatu, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Federated States of Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, New Caledonia, Niue, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Timor-Leste. For the people of Kupang, this is more than a regional festival—it is their moment to introduce the world to the rich Melanesian soul of Indonesia’s eastern provinces and to affirm that Indonesia’s identity reaches deep into the Pacific Ocean.
Why Kupang Matters: The Eastern Gateway of Indonesia
To many Indonesians, NTT is often imagined as a province of rugged islands, ancient traditions, and colorful dances. Yet to the Pacific world, NTT holds an even deeper significance. It is one of Indonesia’s regions where Melanesian heritage thrives alongside Austronesian influences—bridging Indonesia’s Southeast Asian heartland with the cultural continuum of the South Pacific.
Ethnographic studies have long noted that the people of Timor, Alor, and Flores share linguistic and genetic ties with the Melanesian peoples of Papua, Vanuatu, and Fiji. These connections are visible in their physical features, oral histories, and traditional arts—remnants of ancient migratory routes that crisscrossed the Pacific tens of thousands of years ago. For centuries, these islands stood as natural crossroads of Austronesian and Melanesian civilizations.
By choosing Kupang as the host city, the Indonesian government is making a deliberate symbolic gesture: placing the Pacific at the center of Indonesia’s national narrative. As NTT Governor Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena said in an interview with NTT Hits, “This is a golden moment for Indonesia’s cultural diplomacy. NTT is not a periphery—it is the front porch of Indonesia’s Pacific identity.”
Kupang thus becomes more than a host city; it becomes a living metaphor for Indonesia’s ambition to engage with its Pacific neighbors through culture, kinship, and shared heritage.
Inside IPACS 2025: A Cultural Symphony of Nations
The Indonesia-Pacific Cultural Synergy (IPACS) will unfold in two major phases. The first is a Cultural Residency Program from 3 to 10 November, where dozens of artists, musicians, and cultural practitioners from across the Pacific will live and collaborate with local communities in NTT. They will learn traditional bamboo crafts in Sikka, study the Sasando harp music of Rote Island, and perform the iconic Likurai dance of Belu. These creative exchanges are expected to produce joint works that blend Pacific and Indonesian expressions—true embodiments of cultural synergy.
The second phase is the Main Festival and Summit, to be held on 11–13 November in Kupang. It will feature ministerial-level dialogues, a Pacific cultural exhibition, public performances, and academic forums on sustainable cultural cooperation. Representatives from 17 countries have been invited, and according to Berita Nasional, ten have confirmed attendance, with at least five sending their ministers of culture.
“This is not just an event; it is a statement that Indonesia belongs to the Pacific family,” said Kupang Mayor Christian Widodo during a press briefing. “Through culture, we build understanding. Through art, we build peace.”
Diplomacy Through Culture: Indonesia’s Soft Power in the Pacific
In an era when geopolitical competition is reshaping the Indo-Pacific region, cultural diplomacy offers a gentler yet equally powerful form of engagement. IPACS 2025 is Indonesia’s response to the need for a people-centered approach to diplomacy, especially in the Pacific, where emotional, spiritual, and cultural ties often hold greater weight than political rhetoric.
For Indonesia, the event serves multiple layers of strategic purpose. First, it asserts Indonesia’s Pacific identity—reminding the region that the country is not merely Southeast Asian but also part of the wider Pacific community. Second, it allows Indonesia to strengthen ties with Melanesian nations, many of which have historical or political interest in the Papua issue. By emphasizing shared culture and kinship, Indonesia can help shift perceptions and narratives about its eastern provinces.
Third, IPACS reinforces the concept of sovereignty through culture. Instead of responding to separatist discourse through political confrontation, Indonesia is building legitimacy through positive engagement. By inviting Vanuatu—often perceived as a vocal critic of Indonesia’s Papua policy—to participate in a festival celebrating Melanesian identity, Jakarta sends a subtle but profound message: that Indonesia is part of the same family, not an outsider.
As political analyst Rudi Rahardjo from Poros Jakarta observed, “IPACS 2025 is a soft-power masterpiece. It projects Indonesia’s confidence and unity while using culture to neutralize old suspicions. The message is clear: Indonesia’s Melanesian provinces are not separate from the Pacific world—they are integral to it.”
The Melanesian Bridge: Reclaiming Shared Heritage
To understand why this event resonates so deeply, one must first understand the meaning of Melanesian identity. The term, often associated with Papua, Vanuatu, and the Solomon Islands, refers to a family of cultures that share common ancestry, skin tone, and social structures rooted in communal life and reverence for nature.
In Indonesia, this heritage extends far beyond Papua. The people of NTT, Maluku, and North Maluku share many Melanesian characteristics, both culturally and genetically. Traditional dances like Foti from Flores, Caci from Manggarai, or Tebe from Timor all reflect a collective memory of rhythm, spirituality, and unity.
By recognizing this shared heritage, Indonesia challenges the notion that Melanesian identity stops at the borders of Papua. It redefines Melanesia as a continuum that includes the Indonesian archipelago—showing that Indonesia’s diversity is not a division but a bridge to the Pacific world.
From Kupang to the World: Building a Cultural Corridor
Hosting IPACS also means opportunity. The festival is expected to spark economic, tourism, and creative industry growth in NTT. Local artisans, performers, and small businesses are preparing to welcome thousands of visitors, while the provincial government has committed to infrastructure upgrades in roads, airports, and hospitality facilities.
Governor Melki Laka Lena emphasized that IPACS should leave a legacy beyond its ceremonial week. “We want Kupang to be known internationally as a city of culture, not just a city by the sea,” he said in Rubrika News. “Through IPACS, we can connect our people with the Pacific—artistically, economically, and spiritually.”
Indeed, the festival’s impact is envisioned to stretch far beyond tourism. It is a cultural corridor—a long-term initiative that could lead to art exchanges, educational collaborations, and cultural diplomacy programs between Indonesia and Pacific nations. If successful, IPACS could become an annual event rotating among eastern Indonesian provinces, transforming the region into a hub of cultural diplomacy in the Pacific Rim.
Navigating Challenges and Expectations
Yet, the road ahead is not without challenges. Kupang, though vibrant, remains a developing city with limited infrastructure. Ensuring accommodation, connectivity, and logistics for 17 international delegations will test the province’s preparedness. Moreover, there is a delicate balance to maintain between authentic representation and performance diplomacy.
Cultural events often risk turning heritage into spectacle; Indonesia must ensure that communities remain the true owners and beneficiaries of their traditions. As local cultural activist Maria Liunora noted, “Our dances are sacred stories, not commodities. We want to share them, but we also want respect.”
There is also the question of sustainability. Will the enthusiasm surrounding IPACS translate into year-round opportunities for local artists? Will cultural diplomacy yield tangible policy cooperation among Pacific nations? These are the long-term measures that will determine the true success of the festival.
A Moment of Convergence: Indonesia and the Pacific Future
As Kupang’s harbor prepares to welcome delegations from across the Pacific, the symbolism is powerful. Indonesia, once seen as a distant Asian power, is returning to its oceanic roots—anchored not by politics or power, but by culture and kinship.
In the rhythmic beating of drums and the harmonies of Sasando, one can hear the resonance of a deeper truth: that nations can build understanding not through domination, but through shared identity. IPACS 2025 is more than a festival—it is Indonesia’s gentle declaration of belonging, an embrace extended from the shores of Timor to the islands of the Pacific.
In the words of Governor Melki, “From Kupang, we tell the world that Indonesia is a Pacific nation, a Melanesian nation, a cultural nation. Through our diversity, we unite. Through our culture, we lead.”
And perhaps, when the festival lights fade and the delegations return home, the echoes of Kupang’s music will linger across the Pacific—reminding the region that the sea between us is not a barrier, but a bridge.
Conclusion
The IPACS 2025 in Kupang is far more than a cultural festival; it is a strategic declaration of Indonesia’s Pacific identity. By hosting 17 Pacific nations in Nusa Tenggara Timur—a province deeply rooted in Melanesian heritage—Indonesia is using culture as a form of soft diplomacy to strengthen regional ties, promote understanding, and reaffirm its sovereignty narrative on the world stage.
Kupang’s role as the “Eastern Gateway” symbolizes how Indonesia’s diversity is its greatest diplomatic strength. Through shared art, music, and cultural exchange, Indonesia is bridging historical divides, redefining its relationship with Pacific neighbors, and projecting unity across the Melanesian world.
Ultimately, IPACS 2025 shows that culture can achieve what politics often cannot: it can connect nations through empathy, kinship, and shared identity. From the shores of Kupang, Indonesia is not only celebrating heritage—it is shaping the future of diplomacy in the Pacific.