Minister of Youth and Sports, Dito Ariotedjo, utilized 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 to advocate for pencak silat as a cultural heritage of Indonesia. He emphasized the values of discipline, resilience, and peace embodied in pencak silat, going beyond just martial arts. Recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, pencak silat promotes harmony, peace, and the principles of defending and protecting.
Minister Dito highlighted Indonesia’s perspective on pencak silat as a symbol of global resilience, striving to increase its international recognition, including inclusion in the Olympics. He believes that sports, exemplified by pencak silat, can play a significant role in nation-building, social cohesion, and conflict resolution, reflecting security resilience principles. Indonesia’s commitment to leveraging traditional and modern sports to empower youth and enhance resilience aligns with the UN Office for Combating Terrorism’s Global Sports Programme.
The event also reflected on lessons from the 2024 Paris Olympics, underscoring the importance of robust security infrastructure and preparedness for major sporting events. Minister Dito emphasized the necessity of innovative security frameworks, intelligence cooperation, and global partnerships to effectively address security challenges. Indonesia aims to bolster public-private partnerships, elevate sports safety standards, and foster international collaboration in combatting violent extremism through sports.
President Prabowo Subianto’s vision to introduce pencak silat to the Olympics received recognition, calling for support from all stakeholders. He stressed the preservation of pencak silat as Indonesia’s cultural heritage and the pursuit of its Olympic inclusion. These efforts to promote pencak silat resonate with Indonesia’s commitment to promoting peace and unity through sports. Indonesia’s dedication to positioning sports as a symbol of peace and resilience reflects a common objective of cultivating a secure and inclusive global sporting environment.
