Simon Soekarno
Simon Soekarno | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Ambassador of Indonesia to Cuba, the Bahamas, Dominica, Jamaica, and Haiti | |
| Assumed office 24 March 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Nana Yuliana |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 28, 1966 Jakarta, Indonesia |
| Spouse | Anastasia Eveline Anggraini |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia University of Kent |
Simon Djatwoko Irwantoro Soekarno (born 28 October 1966) is an Indonesian diplomat who is currently serving as ambassador to Cuba, with concurrent accreditation to the Bahamas, Dominica, Jamaica, and Haiti. Prior to his appointment to the position, he served as consul general in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and as director of consular affairs in the foreign ministry.
Early life and education
Born in Jakarta on 28 October 1966, Simon was born as the sixth of seven children of Among Soekarno, a career diplomat, and Sri Hartati. His father inspired Simon to follow in his footsteps, but was initially against the idea, as Simon's two older brothers had already become diplomats. Having moved from country to country throughout his childhood due to his father's career, he developed a deep understanding of the diplomacy from adolescence. Simon Soekarno majored in law at the Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia and graduated in 1990 with a thesis on the legal concept of advertising broadcast agreements.[1] He then pursued master's degree from the University of Kent.[2]
Simon Soekarno's career as a diplomat began with a challenging first assignment to Santiago, Chile, in December 1997. His mother had fallen into a coma from cancer, but she briefly recovered and insisted he not delay his departure. Just two days after arriving in Chile, he was told his mother had re-entered a coma and was advised to return home immediately. He managed to secure a flight back to Jakarta just before Christmas. Upon his arrival at the hospital, he held his mother's feet and said, "I have arrived," at which point her heartbeat flatlined.[2]
After his service in Chile, Simon was assigned to the foreign ministry's inspectorate general as the chief of the C subregion from 2003 to 2006.[3] From 2006 to 2009, he was assigned to the embassy in Madrid to head the consular and protocol affairs as a first secretary.[4] He then returned to the foreign ministry as the chief of foreign guests in the protocol directorate from 2009 to 2011,[3] before returning to overseas assignment as coordinator for social and cultural affairs[5] and spokesperson within the embassy in Singapore.[6] He oversaw the 2014 elections for Indonesian citizens, in which the embassy's election committee implemented barcode technology to prevent electoral fraud during the legislative elections.[7]
Following his service in the embassy, Simon was posted as director for protocol affairs in the foreign ministry from 2014 to 2017. From September 2017 to February 2019, Simon became the consul general in Los Angeles.[3] He was then appointed as the consul general in San Francisco on 1 March 2019 and served until his appointment as the director for consular affairs on 9 March 2022.[8]
In August 2024, President Joko Widodo nominated Simon as Indonesia's ambassador to Cuba, with concurrent accreditation to the Bahamas, Dominica, Jamaica, and Haiti.[9] He passed a fit and proper test held by the House of Representative's first commission in September that year[10] and was installed by President Prabowo Subianto on 24 March 2025.[11]
Personal life
Simon Soekarno is a Catholic and the husband of Anastasia Eveline Anggraini. They have two sons, Jason Alexander Pratama Soekarno and Diego Dwiputranto Soekarno. He is fluent in English, German, and Spanish.[2]
References
- ^ Soekarno, Simon Djatwoko Irwantoro (1990). "Tinjauan Yuridis tentang Perjanjian Penyiaran Iklan pada PT Radio Pass FM" [Legal Review of Advertising Broadcast Agreements at PT Radio Pass FM]. Perpustakaan Unika Atma Jaya. Jakarta: Fakultas Hukum Universitas Katolik Indonesia Atma Jaya. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ a b c Rahardjo, Agem (6 August 2021). "Simon Soekarno: Pengabdian dan Pelayanan adalah Salib yang dipanggulnya" [Simon Soekarno: Devotion and Service Are the Cross He Bears]. WKICU, Warga Katolik Indonesia di California Utara (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ a b c "Looking Ahead: Southeast Asia in 2020 with Four Consuls General". Asia Society. Asia Society Northern California. February 27, 2020. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
- ^ Santoso, Slamet (22 April 2007). "Secciones y Diplomáticos Oficiales" [Official Sections and Diplomats]. Embajada de Indonesia (in Spanish). Republic of Indonesia. Archived from the original on 22 April 2007. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ "Masyarakat Singapura Keturunan Indonesia Sumbang Ponpes Gresik" [Singaporean Citizens of Indonesian Descent Donate to Gresik Islamic Boarding School]. Detik News (in Indonesian). Detikcom. 25 June 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ Sindo, Koran (17 November 2014). "WNI Tikam Sesama WNI di Singapura" [Indonesian Citizen Stabs Fellow Indonesian in Singapore]. SindoNews (in Indonesian). Koran Sindo. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ Ericssen (6 April 2014). "Pileg di Singapura Terapkan Barcode Cegah Kecurangan" [Legislative Election in Singapore Uses Barcode to Prevent Fraud]. Kompas.com (in Indonesian). Kompas. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ Marpa (9 March 2022). "Menlu RI Lantik Konsul Jenderal RI, Konsul RI, dan Pimpinan Tinggi Pratama" [Indonesian Foreign Minister Inaugurates RI Consuls General, Consuls, and Primary High Officials]. International Media (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ Luqman, Kiki (19 August 2024). "Beredar Nama-Nama Calon Duta Besar, Ada Wishnutama yang Diajukan jadi Dubes RI untuk Amerika Serikat" [List of Ambassador Candidates Circulates, Wishnutama Proposed as Indonesian Ambassador to the United States]. Kompas TV (in Indonesian). Retrieved 11 July 2025.
- ^ Anggrainy, Firda Cynthia (17 September 2024). "Ini Daftar Calon Dubes LBBP Ikut Uji Kelayakan di DPR, Ada Junimart Girsang" [Here is the List of Prospective Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassadors Undergoing Feasibility Test at DPR, Including Junimart Girsang]. detikNews (in Indonesian). Retrieved 11 July 2025.
- ^ Harahap, Ricki Putra (March 24, 2025). "President Prabowo Appoints 31 New Indonesian Ambassadors". Jakarta Globe (in Indonesian). Retrieved July 16, 2025.