The Minister of Youth and Sports, Dito Ariotedjo, seized the opportunity at the global sports initiative event ‘Securing the Legacy: Debriefing from Paris 2024 for Future Major Sporting Events Marking’ held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to shine a spotlight on pencak silat as a cultural gem of Indonesia. He underlined the essence of pencak silat as more than just a martial art, embodying values of discipline, resilience, and peace. Recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, pencak silat serves as a platform for practitioners to learn the art of defense and protection, while promoting harmony and peace.
Minister Dito stressed Indonesia’s perspective on pencak silat as a symbol of global resilience and disclosed efforts to enhance its international recognition, potentially even as a part of the Olympics. He expressed his belief that sports like pencak silat epitomize security resilience and can play a vital role in nation-building, fostering social cohesion, and resolving conflicts. By aligning with the UN Office for Combating Terrorism’s Global Sports Programme, Indonesia is committed to leveraging both traditional and modern sports to empower youth and bolster resilience.
The lessons gleaned from the 2024 Paris Olympics were underscored, emphasizing the paramountcy of robust security infrastructure and preparedness for organizing major sporting events. Minister Dito emphasized the necessity for innovative security protocols, intelligence sharing, and global collaborations to address security issues effectively. Indonesia is striving to fortify public-private partnerships, elevate safety standards in sports, and encourage international cooperation to combat violent extremism through sports.
President Prabowo Subianto’s vision to bring pencak silat to the Olympics was mentioned, urging all stakeholders to lend their support. He accentuated the importance of safeguarding pencak silat as Indonesia’s cultural legacy and endeavoring to secure its place in the Olympics. These initiatives to propel pencak silat resonate with Indonesia’s dedication to fostering peace and unity through sports. Indonesia’s commitment to presenting sports as a beacon of peace and resilience mirrors the shared objective of establishing a secure and inclusive global sporting environment.
