Minister of Youth and Sports, Dito Ariotedjo, took the opportunity during a global sports initiative event at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to promote Indonesia’s cultural heritage, pencak silat. He emphasized that beyond being a martial art, pencak silat embodies values such as discipline, resilience, and peace. With UNESCO recognizing it as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, pencak silat not only teaches self-defense but also promotes harmony and peace among its practitioners.
Indonesia sees pencak silat as a symbol of global resilience and is striving to raise its international profile, possibly even including it in the Olympics. Minister Dito believes sports, like pencak silat, can contribute to nation-building, social cohesion, and conflict resolution, reflecting principles of security resilience. Indonesia has pledged its support to utilize traditional and modern sports through the UN Office for Combating Terrorism’s Global Sports Programme to empower youth and enhance resilience.
Learning from the 2024 Paris Olympics, Minister Dito highlighted the importance of strong security infrastructure and preparedness for major sporting events. He emphasized the need for innovative security frameworks, intelligence collaboration, and global partnerships to effectively manage security challenges. Indonesia aims to strengthen public-private partnerships, improve sports safety standards, and promote international cooperation to combat violent extremism through sports.
President Prabowo Subianto’s vision to introduce pencak silat to the Olympics was also mentioned, calling for support from all parties. Preserving pencak silat as Indonesia’s cultural heritage and advocating for its inclusion in the Olympics align with the country’s commitment to promoting collaboration for peace and unity through sports. Indonesia’s dedication to using sports as a symbol of peace and resilience mirrors the shared goal of fostering a safe and inclusive global sporting environment.