Mie Cornoedus, photographer, ViaVia Manager:

"My surroundings are a sensual surfeit, a place that makes people humans, a haven for someone with a camera and desire to tell stories". www.viaviajogja.com

Asian Tiger

It is in Indonesia, during the famous Bandung Conference (1955) that Zhou Enlai, Nehru, Nasser and Nkrumah, along with their Indonesian host Sukarno, proclaimed the creation of a own formation: the third world, a counterweight against Western capitalism and the Communist world. This marked the beginning of a catch-up strategy; the country now presents growth rates that overshadow traditional Western industrialized countries.

Indicative Travel Plan

• Day1: Brussels-(Paris)-Jakarta
• Da 2-3: Some 25 larger Belgian companies are established in Jakarta or on Java. We visit Old Batavia and witness the explosive development of the city.
• Day 4-5-6: Flight to Jogjakarta past as capital of the Mararam kingdom. Indonesia is a prominent islam country with two world heritage class monuments, the Prambanan (Hinduism) and Borobudur (Buddhism). We reflect on social entrepreneurship through the ViaVia business model. We discuss with faculty and students on labour conditions. We visit 'capacity building' projects in villages disrupted by volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. The practice of inclusion of foreign experts in development projects 'capacity building' became a brand name in Asia under president Suharto.
• Day 8-9-10: Morning flight to Bali with its colonies of 'overwinteraars' and nature activists. The hindu ceremonies will charme the visitors, as well as former kingdoms and the spectacular scenery.
• Day 11: arrival in Brussels.

Living Stone Exclusive

According to a BBC World survey of April 2011, Indonesia is the best place in the world to start a business. It central location in the Asian market and cheap labour have an extra advantage. This is the starting point of the many conversations we will conduct during the journey.

Our host and guide by the side is Mie Cornoedus, manager of ViaVia Traveler Café in Jogjakarta. Mie is considered a role model in social entrepreneurship and on top active in the contemporary art scene of Indonesia. Mie and her team will lead us to Belgian entrepreneurs in Java and organise meetings with Indonesian leaders who might impact our views on this part of the world. Reference: report of the seminar 'Indonesian Domestic Migrant Workers' by Living Stone Gateway-participants 2011.

Book With Confidence

• Indicative price for the 11 day travel programme incl. services of a facilitator and local guides, for a company of 12 participants: €3449 pp. in single room, €3249 in double room (4* hotels or equivalent)
• Logistic partner: JOKER nv
• For more information, please contact our customer service.

Belgian documentary about Indonesian overseas domestic helpers

In this movie from 2010 Jorge León shows how young Indonesian girls leave en masse as domestic helper to middle class families in Asia and the Middle East. What begins as a dream usually ends in a nightmare. The girls are unprotected without papers, exploited in a foreign country. Jorge León gives these girls a face, ViaVia Jogja facilitated. www.festivalmillenium.org/programme/Vousetesservis