Minister of Youth and Sports, Dito Ariotedjo, recently 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. During the event, he took the opportunity to promote pencak silat as a cultural heritage of Indonesia, emphasizing its values of discipline, resilience, and peace. UNESCO recognizes pencak silat as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, highlighting its role in promoting harmony and peace through self-defense and protection.
Minister Dito underlined Indonesia’s commitment to showcasing pencak silat on the global stage and potentially including it in the Olympics. He believes that sports, such as pencak silat, play a crucial role in nation-building, social cohesion, and conflict resolution, reflecting principles of security resilience. Indonesia, in alignment with the UN Office for Combating Terrorism’s Global Sports Programme, aims to empower youth and enhance resilience through the integration of traditional and modern sports.
Key lessons from the 2024 Paris Olympics were discussed, focusing on the significance of robust security infrastructure and preparedness for major sporting events. Minister Dito emphasized the importance of innovative security frameworks, intelligence collaboration, and international partnerships to effectively address security challenges. Indonesia is committed to strengthening public-private partnerships, improving sports safety standards, and fostering global cooperation to combat violent extremism through sports.
President Prabowo Subianto’s vision to introduce pencak silat to the Olympics was highlighted, calling for support from all stakeholders. The preservation of pencak silat as Indonesia’s cultural heritage and its potential inclusion in the Olympics are crucial goals for the country. These efforts align with Indonesia’s commitment to leveraging sports for peace and unity, reflecting a shared objective of creating a safe and inclusive global sporting environment.
