Music, language and curiosity filled Institut français d’Indonésie in Jakarta on September 12 as nearly 200 people gathered for Open House IFI 2026. Held simultaneously in four Indonesian cities, the free public programme transformed French culture from something to be studied at a distance into an experience visitors could hear, taste, discuss and enjoy together.
A Full House for IFI’s New Chapter
The Jakarta programme opened with remarks from Juliette Salabert, the new Director of IFI, who succeeded Jules Irrmann. Organisers had initially anticipated around 50 visitors, but almost four times that number arrived to explore the activities throughout the day.
“I was very surprised and very happy to see so many people interested in French language and culture,” Salabert told reporters. The turnout offered an encouraging beginning to her tenure and demonstrated that public interest in France extends beyond tourism and familiar cultural symbols.
IFI serves as the cultural and cooperation network of the Embassy of France in Indonesia. Through language education, artistic programmes, academic exchanges and public events, it creates meeting spaces where Indonesians and French people can learn about each other beyond formal diplomacy.
Music Makes French Feel Closer
With music as its central theme, the Open House began with a performance by Groovin Buddy. The group returned for the closing concert, giving the day a musical frame while visitors moved between classrooms, performance areas and cultural activities.
Music offered an accessible way to encounter the French language. Visitors did not need advanced vocabulary to respond to a melody, follow a rhythm or recognize the emotions carried by a song. Activities such as karaoke, vinyl spinning and a French national anthem workshop allowed participants to experience pronunciation and expression in a relaxed environment.
Kool Kids Records Club introduced another creative dimension through a workshop that transformed recycled audio cassettes into new objects. The activity connected musical nostalgia with contemporary environmental awareness, showing how discarded materials could find a second life through imagination.
Young Voices Take the Karaoke Stage
One of the morning’s liveliest attractions was the French karaoke competition for students from SMA, SMK and MAN schools across Jakarta. Representatives from 13 participating schools performed French-language songs before the winners were announced.
For the students, the competition turned language learning into a public and emotional experience. Memorising lyrics required them to work on pronunciation, rhythm and meaning, while performing before an audience encouraged confidence. French became more than a classroom subject; it became a language through which they could express personality and creativity.
The programme continued with musical storytelling by Ayo Dongeng Indonesia, interactive games, board games and open karaoke. These activities helped create an informal atmosphere in which families, students and first-time visitors could participate without feeling that they had entered a conventional language institution.
From Trial Classes to Future Study
Visitors interested in learning French could join free introductory sessions for adults and children, including a class using the FRELLO digital platform. Presentations on French-language certification and consultations about IFI courses provided practical guidance for those considering more structured study.
The Open House also connected language learning with educational mobility. Campus France representatives and Indonesian alumni offered consultations on universities, scholarships and student life in France. A discussion about studying in France and an alumni networking session gave prospective students opportunities to hear directly from people familiar with the experience.
Film screenings and culinary demonstrations broadened the programme further. Together, the activities reflected IFI’s role as more than a language centre: it is also a gateway to French education, arts, gastronomy and everyday life.
Four Cities Join One Cultural Conversation
Open House IFI 2026 took place not only in Jakarta but also at IFI centres in Bandung, Yogyakarta and Surabaya. Each city interpreted the musical theme through its own programme, creating a shared national celebration with distinct local character.
Bandung welcomed musician Panji Sakti alongside French-language activities, workshops and a live concert. Yogyakarta combined karaoke and a music quiz with drawing and musical workshops, while Surabaya introduced French pronunciation through songs, a French music quiz and a duet karaoke challenge.
The four-city format extended cultural diplomacy beyond the national capital. It also recognized that Indonesia’s interest in French language and culture is distributed across different educational and creative communities, each capable of shaping the relationship in its own way.
Culture Strengthens a Long Partnership
The Open House followed the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and Indonesia in 2025, a milestone accompanied by expanding cooperation in culture, education, research and the creative industries. The Borobudur Declaration adopted by Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Prabowo Subianto in May 2025 placed cultural collaboration within a broader joint strategy for the future.
Public events such as the Open House bring that high-level partnership closer to everyday life. While diplomatic agreements establish direction, relationships become meaningful when students sing in another language, families discover unfamiliar food and prospective university applicants speak with alumni who have already made the journey.
“A language does more than convey words: it opens doors,” Salabert said. Those doors can lead toward education and professional opportunities, but they can also encourage friendship, empathy and a more personal understanding between societies.
Keeping the Doors Open
Open House IFI 2026 lasted only one day, but the energy surrounding it pointed toward a longer conversation. Nearly 200 visitors entered IFI Jakarta expecting classes, music and activities; they also encountered new possibilities for study, collaboration and cultural discovery.
France-Indonesia relations may be shaped through presidential visits and institutional agreements, but they are sustained by people willing to learn from one another. By opening its doors through music, IFI showed how cultural diplomacy can begin with something simple: a shared song, a welcoming room and the courage to join the conversation.
