Indonesian diaspora celebrates Kartini Day in Taipei

Taipei, April 20 (CNA) The Indonesian Diaspora Network in Taiwan (IDN Taiwan) and the Puppetry Art Center of Taipei (PACT) celebrated Kartini Day in Taipei on Sunday with dance performances and a fashion show in honor of Indonesian women's rights pioneer Raden Adjeng Kartini.

Dressed in Indonesian regalia, an Indonesian dancer opened the event at PACT with a traditional dance, while the fashion show that followed featured Indonesian children dressed in traditional Indonesian costumes.

Dewi, deputy president of IDN Global, said many children in Indonesia dress up in traditional costumes for the holiday, and she wanted Indonesian children in Taiwan to have the same experience.

Indonesia's Deputy Representative to Taiwan Zulmartinof said the spirit of Kartini Day was aligned with the obligations of the Indonesian Economic and Trade Office to Taipei (IETO) to "empower" and "protect" Indonesians living and working in Taiwan.

IETO hoped the people and authorities of Taiwan will treat migrant Indonesian women with dignity, including by paying them "proper wages" and ensuring they get maternity leave if they become pregnant, Zulmartinof said.

PACT Director Tsai Yi-wei (蔡易衛) said this was the fifth consecutive year that the center has teamed up with IDN Taiwan to host a Kartini Day event.

The collaboration began when his predecessor invited IDN Taiwan to jointly host a Kartini Day event to showcase some of the Indonesian puppets in its collection, Tsai said.

The event has since became a fixture at the center because it felt at home with the center's vibes given its emphasis on children, Tsai said.

Kartini Day, observed on April 21, commemorates the birth of Raden Ajeng Kartini, a national hero in Indonesia renowned for her pioneering efforts in girls' education and women's empowerment during the Dutch colonial period.