Nasi Goreng Diplomacy

Nasi Goreng Diplomacy (NGD) explores the role of food as a tool for citizen diplomacy through the communal act of cooking and sharing nasi goreng . Inspired by former Indonesian president Megawati’s use of the dish in political settings, NGD reimagines food as a medium for cross-cultural dialogue and public diplomacy. The project was presented in two iterations: an interactive rice barter stall installation during the 2023 Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa, India, and as a series of community sessions in Singapore, supported by Practice Tuckshop. In each session, collaborators from Southeast Asian communities led participants by cooking their hometown nasi goreng recipes using country-specific rice; they built bonds through shared stories, spontaneous conversations, and cultural exchanges. From debates about national dishes to demonstrations of culinary cultures and eating habits, each gathering became a space of intimate diplomacy, where rice connected people beyond political borders. NGD demonstrates how food, as both a symbol and a practice, can foster meaningful, people-to-people relations – diplomacy not through protocol but through proximity, flavour, and fellowship.