Minister of Youth and Sports, Dito Ariotedjo, utilized the global sports initiative event ‘Securing the Legacy: Debriefing from Paris 2024 for Future Major Sporting Events Marking’ at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to advocate for pencak silat as a cultural heritage of Indonesia. He highlighted how pencak silat transcends martial arts, embodying values of discipline, resilience, and peace. Acknowledged by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, pencak silat instills in its practitioners the principles of defending and protecting, while promoting harmony and peace.
Minister Dito underscored Indonesia’s perspective on pencak silat as a symbol of global resilience, striving to raise its international recognition, including as part of the Olympics. He believes that sports, such as pencak silat, epitomize security resilience principles and can contribute to nation-building, social cohesion, and conflict resolution. Indonesia is committed to the UN Office for Combating Terrorism’s Global Sports Programme, focusing on leveraging traditional and modern sports to empower youth and enhance resilience.
The event also shed light on lessons learned from the 2024 Paris Olympics, underscoring the significance of robust security infrastructure and readiness for major sporting occasions. Minister Dito emphasized the necessity of innovative security frameworks, intelligence cooperation, and global partnerships to effectively address security challenges. Indonesia aims to bolster public-private collaborations, elevate sports safety standards, and nurture international cooperation to combat violent extremism through sports.
President Prabowo Subianto’s vision to introduce pencak silat to the Olympics was articulated, appealing for support from all stakeholders. He stressed the importance of preserving pencak silat as Indonesia’s cultural heritage and striving for its inclusion in the Olympics. The initiatives to promote pencak silat resonate with Indonesia’s dedication to fostering collaboration for peace and unity through sports. Indonesia’s commitment to advocating sports as a symbol of peace and resilience aligns with the shared goal of ensuring a secure and inclusive global sporting environment.
