Minister of Youth and Sports, Dito Ariotedjo, took the opportunity to promote pencak silat as a cultural heritage of Indonesia during the ‘Securing the Legacy: Debriefing from Paris 2024 for Future Major Sporting Events Marking’ event at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. He highlighted the values of discipline, resilience, and peace embodied in pencak silat, which transcends beyond martial arts. Recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, pencak silat emphasizes defending and protecting while promoting harmony and peace.
Minister Dito sees pencak silat as a symbol of global resilience and aims to raise its international profile, potentially even as part of the Olympics. He believes that sports, like pencak silat, can reflect principles of security and resilience while contributing to nation-building, social cohesion, and conflict resolution. Indonesia is committed to utilizing traditional and modern sports to empower youth and enhance resilience through its support for the UN Office for Combating Terrorism’s Global Sports Programme.
Key takeaways from the 2024 Paris Olympics were discussed, stressing the need for robust security infrastructure and preparedness for major sporting events. Minister Dito highlighted the importance of innovative security frameworks, intelligence collaboration, and global partnerships in effectively managing security challenges. Indonesia is focused on strengthening public-private partnerships, improving sports safety standards, and fostering international cooperation to address violent extremism through sports.
President Prabowo Subianto’s vision of bringing pencak silat to the Olympics was brought up, with a call for support from all stakeholders. The significance of preserving pencak silat as Indonesia’s cultural heritage and striving for its inclusion in the Olympics were emphasized. These efforts align with Indonesia’s commitment to promoting peace and unity through sports collaboration. Indonesia’s dedication to sports as a symbol of peace and resilience demonstrates a shared goal of creating a safe and inclusive global sporting environment.
