President Prabowo Subianto has officially designated Portuguese as one of the priority foreign languages to be taught in schools across Indonesia.

The announcement was made during a joint statement with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Thursday (October 23, 2025).

President Lula responded with applause, expressing appreciation for Indonesia’s initiative to strengthen bilateral relations with Brazil.

“Given the importance of this relationship, I have decided that Portuguese will become a priority language in our education system, as we seek to build stronger ties,” Prabowo stated in his speech.

Prabowo emphasized that Portuguese will now hold equal standing with other foreign languages already taught in Indonesian schools, such as English, Arabic, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, French, German, and Russian.

“In addition to those languages, Portuguese and Spanish will also become priority languages for us,” he added.

According to Prabowo, this decision serves as a symbol of Indonesia’s respect and recognition of Brazil as a strategic partner in education and international cooperation.

He further announced plans to instruct both the Minister of Higher Education and the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education to prepare and implement Portuguese language programs in Indonesian schools.

“This is proof that we see our relationship with Brazil as deeply significant,” Prabowo asserted.

The initiative is expected to mark a new chapter in Indonesia–Brazil cooperation, expanding collaboration not only in education but also in economy and cultural exchange.