The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy and the Head of the Tourism and Creative Economy Agency, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, is pushing for the Mojokerto Batik Festival, known as Festival MojoBatik 2023, to be elevated to the status of a national event.

Minister Sandiaga, speaking at the Festival MojoBatik 2023 held at the Mojokerto City Square, Jawa Timur, on Saturday, praised the festival's organizers for reaching its 7th year. This event showcases a diverse collection of batik creations by micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (UMKM) in a city with a rich heritage from the Majapahit Kingdom.

"The presentation is truly impressive and it radiates the spirit and positive energy of creative entrepreneurs, particularly in the batik industry here in Mojokerto. I believe that based on the quality of their work, this festival is deserving of national recognition. It also opens up opportunities for Mojokerto to become a hub for internationally renowned batik," he said.

To achieve this goal, Minister Sandiaga hopes to include Festival MojoBatik in the curation of the Nusantara Event Charm Festival (KEN) next year. KEN is one of the flagship programs of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (Kemenparekraf/Baparekraf) aimed at promoting and highlighting outstanding regional events.

"I will request the mayor to submit their finest batik pieces for curation by the KEN 2024 committee. If they are chosen, this will result in additional incentives and support from the government," he added.

Meanwhile, the Mayor of Mojokerto, Ika Puspitasari, explained that the batik displayed at Festival MojoBatik has undergone a curation and mentoring process by Kemenparekraf/Baparekraf.

"On behalf of the batik artisans and the people of Mojokerto, I would like to express our gratitude to Minister Sandiaga and the Kemenparekraf team. From July to September 2023, for three months, their team provided mentoring and curation for batik and fashion from Mojokerto," she stated.

The Festival MojoBatik 2023 was also graced by the presence of the East Java Governor, Khofifah Indar Parawansa, and the Regent of Mojokerto, Ikfina Fahmawati.

Accompanying Minister Sandiaga were Yuke Sri Rahayu, Director of Culinary, Crafts, Design, and Fashion at Kemenparekraf/Baparekraf, Anggara Hayun Anujuprana, Director of Financing Access at Kemenparekraf/Baparekraf, and I Gusti Ayu Dewi Hendriyani, Head of the Communication Bureau at Kemenprekraf/Baparekraf.

The potential for the Mojokerto Batik Festival to become a nationally recognized event has generated excitement and anticipation, not only among the locals but also among the broader community of batik enthusiasts. The festival's rich cultural and artistic offerings are poised to elevate the status of Mojokerto as a hub for this timeless Indonesian tradition, and the future looks promising as it takes steps toward gaining national recognition.