Bridging Diplomacy and History: NCP 2025 Students Explore Australian Consulate and Bajra Sandhi
Denpasar, Bali, December 15, 2025 – The New Colombo Plan (NCP) 2025 agenda continued with a strategic itinerary combining diplomatic insight and deep historical exploration. Last Monday, students from Edith Cowan University (ECU), Australia, accompanied by their counterparts from Undiknas University, paid an official visit to the Australian Consulate-General located in the Renon district of Denpasar. This visit marked a significant momentum for the participants to understand the role of their nation’s diplomatic representation in Bali, while also witnessing the strong bilateral synergy established between Indonesia and Australia at the governmental level.
During the session at the Consulate-General, the NCP 2025 participants were warmly welcomed and received a comprehensive briefing on the strategic functions of the consulate, ranging from providing services to Australian citizens to facilitating educational and cultural cooperation. This interaction offered the students a practical perspective on the dynamics of international relations. The presence of Undiknas University students as counterparts in this activity further underscored the educational collaboration between the two nations, fostering a fluid and productive dialogue on cross-border issues relevant to the younger generation. Following the diplomatic agenda, the delegation proceeded to the Bajra Sandhi Monument, located just a short distance from the consulate. At this majestic monument, the students were taken on a journey through time via a series of intricate dioramas. They studied the chronological transformation of Balinese civilization, tracing its roots from the influential era of the Majapahit Empire which laid the cultural foundations, through the golden age of local Balinese kingdoms, and finally to the heroic struggles for independence and the formation of the Republic of Indonesia.
The historical exploration at Bajra Sandhi provided the international students with a holistic understanding of the identity and resilient spirit of the Balinese people. This combination of visiting a modern diplomatic institution and a site dedicated to the people’s struggle is expected to enrich the global perspective of the New Colombo Plan 2025 participants. By understanding Indonesia’s past and witnessing contemporary diplomatic relations firsthand, students from both Edith Cowan University and Undiknas University are expected to become effective ambassadors of friendship in strengthening future ties between the two countries.
