Minister of Youth and Sports, Dito Ariotedjo, recently took the opportunity at the global sports initiative event in New York, titled ‘Securing the Legacy: Debriefing from Paris 2024 for Future Major Sporting Events Marking,’ to showcase pencak silat as a significant cultural heritage of Indonesia. He emphasized the deeper essence of pencak silat, illustrating how it transcends martial arts to embody essential values like discipline, resilience, and peace. Commended by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, pencak silat instills the art of defense and protection while promoting harmony and peace among its practitioners.
Minister Dito underlined Indonesia’s commitment to raising international awareness of pencak silat as a symbol of global resilience and inclusion in prestigious global sporting events such as the Olympics. He believes that sports, particularly pencak silat, can embody principles of security resilience, contributing significantly to nation-building, social cohesion, and conflict resolution. In support of the UN Office for Combating Terrorism’s Global Sports Programme, Indonesia aims to harness the power of both traditional and modern sports to empower youth and enhance resilience on a global scale.
Lessons derived from the 2024 Paris Olympics were brought to the forefront, emphasizing the critical importance of robust security measures and preparedness for hosting major sporting events. Minister Dito highlighted the necessity of implementing innovative security frameworks, fostering intelligence collaboration, and establishing strong global partnerships to effectively tackle security challenges. Indonesia is committed to bolstering public-private partnerships, elevating sports safety standards, and promoting international cooperation to combat violent extremism through the medium of sports.
In line with President Prabowo Subianto’s vision to introduce pencak silat to the Olympics, a plea for support from all stakeholders was made. The President stressed the paramount significance of preserving pencak silat as Indonesia’s cultural treasure and advocated for its inclusion in the Olympics. The efforts to champion pencak silat align seamlessly with Indonesia’s overarching goal of fostering collaboration for peace and unity through sports. Indonesia’s unwavering dedication to positioning sports as a symbol of peace and resilience echoes a collective commitment to ensuring a secure and welcoming sporting environment on a global scale.
