Learning Indonesian language opens up many opportunities for young Australians in the future — that's the main message conveyed through Indonesia Fair 2026.
Indonesia Fair is an initiative of the Australia-Indonesia Youth Association (AIYA) aimed at boosting Indonesian learning in Australia. Indonesian language students are expected to see the added value of learning Indonesian through the annual event.
Started off with a lively discussion, panellists from various professional backgrounds explained how understanding Indonesian can benefit their careers.
"You can't be a serious member of parliament in Australia without being serious about Indonesia," said one of the panellists, federal MP Tim Watts.
There is no country in the world that is more important to Australia than Indonesia.Tim Watts MP
Following the discussion, the participants — Indonesian language students from various schools in Sydney and Wollongong — were divided into groups to participate in various activity sessions, including learning to dance, play gamelan, angklung and bargaining in Indonesian. However, there was something different in this fourth year of the event.
Language is the pathway to relationships of trust and understanding. It's fundamental to it.Tim Watts MP
In this podcast, hear comments from federal MPs Matt Thistlethwaite and Tim Watts, Board Chair of Australia-Indonesia Institute Lydia Santoso, NSW School of Languages' Indonesian teacher Christin Anggrahini and Australian footballer Robbie Gaspar about learning Indonesian in Australia and the Indonesia Fair 2026.
