Minister of Youth and Sports, Dito Ariotedjo, attended 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. In his speech, he highlighted the cultural significance of pencak silat as a heritage of Indonesia, emphasizing its values of discipline, resilience, and peace. Recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, pencak silat not only teaches self-defense but also promotes harmony and peace among its practitioners.
Minister Dito expressed Indonesia’s aspiration to showcase pencak silat on the global stage by making it more well-known internationally, including as part of the Olympics. He believes that sports, particularly pencak silat, embody principles of security resilience and can contribute to nation-building, social cohesion, and conflict resolution. Indonesia is committed to utilizing traditional and modern sports through the UN Office for Combating Terrorism’s Global Sports Programme to empower youth and enhance resilience.
Acknowledging the lessons from the 2024 Paris Olympics, Minister Dito underscored the importance of robust security infrastructure and preparedness for major sporting events. He emphasized the necessity of innovative security frameworks, intelligence sharing, and international partnerships to effectively address security challenges. Indonesia is dedicated to strengthening public-private collaborations, improving sports safety standards, and fostering global cooperation to combat violent extremism through sports.
President Prabowo Subianto’s vision to elevate pencak silat to the Olympics was highlighted during the event, calling for support from all sectors. He stressed the importance of preserving pencak silat as Indonesia’s cultural legacy and striving for its inclusion in the Olympics. 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 mirrors the collective goal of creating a secure and inclusive sporting environment worldwide.
