Minister Sandiaga Uno: Creative Economy is the Main Driver of Economic Growth

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy/Head of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, said the creative economy became the main driver of economic growth that accelerated revival after the pandemic and created more employment opportunities.

After the opening ceremony of the 3rd Edition of the World Conference on Creative Economy (WCCE) 2022 at the Bali International Convention Center (BICC), Nusa Dua, Badung Regency, Thursday (6/10/2022), he stated that the holding of WCCE 2022 in Bali as part of the side event of the G20 Indonesia Presidency demonstrated Indonesia’s strong effort to advancing creative economy issues into global thinking.

WCCE 2022 is one of the side events related to tourism and creative economy in the series of Indonesia G20 Presidency.

WCCE 2022 is expected to provide huge impact on the community involved in the tourism and creative economy industry.

“This is to harmonize the relevance of the creative economy within the framework of the global economy,” according to Minister Sandiaga.

Minister Sandiaga said, the last two years had been an important moment in the creative economy sector. In which, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact.

However, now the situation is starting to improve, where workers in the creative economy sector are getting back on their feet.

“This demonstrates that the creative industry is growing rapidly and at the same time, becomes a sign that opportunities are wide open to achieve the target given by president in supporting the creation of 4.4 million new employment opportunities in 2024,” he added.

The series of WCCE 2022 with the theme “Inclusively Creative: A Global Recovery” includes three activities. The first is the WCCE Spotlight and WCCE Expo/Creativillage that features creative exhibition, showcasing, networking media, and global inspirational session in the creative economy sector. Second, The Friends of Creative Economy (FCE) Meeting, which is a forum for discussion and debate between national and global creative economy Penta helixes.

Third, namely the Ministerial Meeting which is a ministerial-level creative economy policy forum that will agree on the outcome document of WCCE 2022.

Meanwhile, the sub-theme will be divided into four. They are the Creative Economy for Global Revival, IP and Rights of the Creative, Inclusive and SDG’s Agenda, and The Future of Creative Economy. Discussion of these four themes will involve all related parties.

“It is our duty to ensure that the creative economy is the main driver of economic growth. The ‘Bali Creative Economy Roadmap’ as a result of the WCCE 2022 will later become a guide for the world community in including the creative economy in the global economic recovery plans,” he continued.

When opening the 3rd Edition of the World Conference on Creative Economy (WCCE) 2022 at the Bali International Convention Center (BICC), Nusa Dua, Badung Regency, President Joko Widodo said that the work of the creative industry today easily transcends national boundaries. The creative industry is no longer a local product consumed by local people, but has become a global product that is easily enjoyed by people across countries.

“When the world restricts human physical mobility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the mobility of creative economy works continues to move without transmitting COVID-19. The creative economy sector is relatively able to survive in the pandemic era compared to other sectors. Several creative economy sub-sectors such as application and game developers, television, and radio, even grew significantly, triggered by the significant increase in content consumption during the pandemic,” President Joko Widodo explained.

He was also confident that the creative economy in Indonesia and many other countries in the world will be the backbone of the economy in the future that is getting stronger and is considered as an inclusive economic force.

The development of the creative economy must continue to be pushed so that it becomes a futuristic sector that grows faster, bigger, and more advanced.

“The creative economy can be a solution to improve the people’s way of life broadly and sustainably, because it is able to break down the geographical boundaries of gender, race, economic strata. The creative economy is capable of becoming the main pillar to break inclusive economic growth, economic growth for all,” he added.

Indonesia, according to the President, will take a leading role in developing an inclusive creative economy ecosystem, encouraging a greater role for the creative economy in global economic recovery.

“A thousand Penta helix actors and creative economy policy makers gathered in the 3rd Edition of the World Conference on Creative Economy, a global initiative that was initiated since 2018 as a vehicle to promote an inclusive creative mission. I see the topics discussed in this conference are crucial and relevant. The economic revival, creative workers and intellectual property rights, inclusiveness and SDGa Agenda, as well as the future of the creative economy,” the President continued.

Innovation and creativity supported by a healthy and productive innovation climate, as well as accompanied by adaptive policies will encourage the progress of a nation’s civilization.

“I expect this 3rd World Conference on Creative Economy (WCCE) will produce the Bali Creative Economy Roadmap for Global Recovery to accelerate an inclusive and sustainable national and global economic recovery process,” President Joko Widodo said.

Also attending the occasion were the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Retno Marsudi; Vice Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy/Deputy Head of Tourism and Creative Economy Agency, Angela Tanoesoedibjo; the Governor of Bali, Wayan Koster; and a number of echelon I and II officials within the MOTCE.