Indonesia Opens IIBF 2025, Showcasing Literacy as Cultural Diplomacy

IIBF 2025 opens in Jakarta, uniting 20+ nations, 125+ participants, and 150+ programs to spotlight literacy as a pillar of culture and diplomacy.

on Sep 25, 2025

Indonesia Opens IIBF 2025, Showcasing Literacy as Cultural Diplomacy

Indonesia's Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, opened the 2025 Indonesia International Book Fair (IIBF) organized by the Indonesian Issuance Association (IKAPI) at the Assembly Hall, Jakarta International Convention Center (JCC). During his speech, Menbud Fadli Zon highlighted the significant role of literacy as a pillar for the development of the nation and also as the gateway of cultural diplomacy that connects Indonesia with the world.

Carrying the theme of Exploring Content, Enlightening Mind, IIBF 2025 became an idea-hub of ideas throughout the country amidst the rapid stream of information and challenges of the digital age. Based on Menbud Fadli, this theme recollects the spirit of literacy, ie, reading with consciousness, writing with sense, and publishing with vision. Quality content not just enriches insight, but also fortifies the character and fortifies the nation's identity," he said.

Not just an exhibition of books, IIBF, as stated by Menbud Fadli, is a space of cultural diplomacy where writers, publishers, and literacy agents meet and share ideas and inspiration. For this year, not only domestic publishers follow IIBF, but also publishers and literary agents from other countries who participate as executors and active players in the Indonesia Rights Fair (IRF) program. IIBF showcases over 70 Indonesian Rights Fair (IRF) participants from 17 nations, indicating Indonesia's literacy is being considered at the international level.

In this event, Menbud Fadli also stressed that the Ministry of Culture positions literacy and publishing as a valuable element of the National Talent Management (MTN) of Cultural Arts. With MTN, the government aims to find, nurture, and connect Indonesia's better talents, including writers, translators, editors, illustrators, and publishers," explained Menbud Fadli. Along those lines, Menbud Fadli went on, the government launched the MTN Translation Funding program to encourage the translation of Indonesian books into foreign languages, as well as initiating the Indonesia Rights Fair Fellowship Program 2025 to match international publishers with Indonesia's literacy potential.

The General Chairperson of Indonesian Issuance Association (IKAPI), Arys Hilman Nugraha, explained meanwhile that the significance of consistency and sustainability of the IIBF 2025 exhibition is now on its 45th birthday. He stressed government support and having international partners as significant points in the continuity of IIBF as a literacy and cultural diplomacy site. The 45-year existence of IIBF is a huge success in consistency and perseverance. Actually, when the pandemic of COVID-19 struck the globe and the book market was severely affected, IIBF stood strongly rooted," he said. For him, IIBF 2025 is not only in the form of an exhibition, but also an initiative to increase access to reading, consolidate the ecosystem of publishing, and create a culture of reading among society.

On the same occasion, the IIBF 2025 Committee Chairperson, Wahyu Rinanto, stated that by showcasing involvement of 20 countries, 125+ participants, 150+ literacy programs, and 160+ resource persons, IIBF 2025 became the forum for dialogue, transactions, and innovation required by the Indonesian book industry.

Held from September 24, 2025, some of the flagship programs also brought life to IIBF this year, such as the IRF program that was conducted on the first three days of the exhibition and had turned into a copyright transaction event with 80 publishers and script agents from Indonesia and overseas, such as Malaysia, Korea, Japan, India, China, Iran, Egypt, Thailand, Turkey, Hong Kong, Singapore, Pakistan, to the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. By way of the IRF, publishers will look at each other for potential books to be published in their respective nations.

Besides that, there is Lit Connect, the very first initiative where book industry professionals meet film, game, and IP professionals. The Story Market program, which is back after having succeeded in 2024, brings publishers, studios, web platforms, and content buyers together. IIBF 2025 cannot be completed without numerous discussions, talk shows, seminars, book releases, authors' sessions, and authors' signature sessions. IIBF 2025 also features exhibitions and an illustration exchange. While organizing for five days, over 50 agenda items are waiting to be conducted, showcasing literacy spirit in a friendly and cheerful ambiance.

The launching of the IIBF 2025 was also graced by ambassadors of friendly nations such as Palestine, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Qatar, Tunisia, Oman, Iraq, Algeria, to Afghanistan. Besides that, there were also book publisher representatives from within and abroad, bookwriters, writers, and illustrators.

Attended by the Minister of Culture, the Director General of Development, Utilization, and Culture Development Ahmad Mahendra; Director General of Diplomacy, Promotion, and Cultural Cooperation, Endah TD Retnoastuti; and Special Staff to the Minister for Cultural Diplomacy and International Relations, Anissa Rengganis.

Concluding his statement, Menbud Fadli opined that literacy falls under cultural diplomacy. "Books are ambassadors who never tire of walking from generation to generation, from one country to another. From books, we disseminate local wisdom, strengthen identity, as well as create bridges between civilizations," he added.

So Menbud Fadli calls all the publishers, writers, readers, and global partners to make IIBF 2025 a new milestone. Let's promote more Indonesian works to exist in the world, let's give an opportunity for young writers to develop, let's develop a culture of reading from childhood, and let's incorporate literacy into the nation's development strategy as something that cannot be separated," he concluded.