Mohamad Wahid Supriyadi

Mohamad Wahid Supriyadi (born 18 August 1959) is an Indonesian diplomat who served as an Ambassador to Russia (2016–2020) and Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (2008–2011).

Early life and education Wahid was born in Winong, Kebumen on 18 August 1959. His father was a teacher. During his childhood, he had an ambition to become a dalang (puppeteer) because of his passion for watching wayang (traditional puppet theatre). He enrolled in private junior high school in and later on the (State Senior High School 1 Purworejo), taking language stream and graduating in 1977. He studied English literature at Gadjah Mada University and earned a B.A. degree in 1983. Later, he took Applied Business major at Swinburne University of Technology and graduated in 2000. He then worked as an English teacher at in Yogyakarta from 1981 to 1984. Afterward, he worked as an English lecturer at Pancasila University for five years (1984–1989).

Diplomatic career Wahid joined Indonesia's foreign service in 1985 after passing the selection test. Wahid was sent to Canberra in 1989 and served as the Third Secretary of the Information, Social, and Cultural section of the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Canberra until 1993. In 1995, he was assigned as the Young Consul at the Consulate General of Indonesia in Melbourne for four years. Apart from that, he also served in other positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, such as Head of the Indonesian Diaspora Desk and Expert Staff of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Economic, Social and Cultural Affairs. He also participated in the Diaspora Congress by becoming the chairman of the first and second congresses.

When he was posted abroad, Wahid always utilized a cultural diplomacy approach since he believed that culture was Indonesia's most powerful force.

Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates He became the Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates on 8 April 2008. On 17 August 2011, on the 66th anniversary of Indonesia's independence, he gave T-shirts, female magazines, and 100 AED to 29 Indonesian female worker detainees in Al Wathba Prison. He stepped down as ambassador to the UAE in 2011. Furthermore, he also inaugurated the Nusantara Center of Dagestan Humanitarian and Pedagogical College on 26 March 2019. He ended his tenure in 2020 and the position was replaced by Jose Antonio Morato Tavares.

Post-diplomatic life Wahid authored a book titled Diplomasi Ringan dan Lucu, describing his unique experiences as a diplomat in Australia, United Arab Emirates, and Russia. The book was released on 21 November 2020.

Personal life Wahid is married to Murgiyati Supriyadi and has three children. Medal of Muslims of Russia For Services – Russian Council of Muftis (29 July 2020).

Writings Diplomasi Ringan dan Lucu (Indonesian)