Pencak Silat as Indonesia’s Cultural Heritage and Global Peace Ambassador
Minister of Youth and Sports, Dito Ariotedjo, recently attended the ‘Securing the Legacy: Debriefing from Paris 2024 for Future Major Sporting Events Marking’ event at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. During the event, Minister Dito took the opportunity to promote pencak silat as a significant cultural heritage of Indonesia. He emphasized that pencak silat represents more than just martial arts, embodying values of discipline, resilience, and peace. Recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, pencak silat not only teaches practitioners self-defense but also promotes harmony and peace.
Minister Dito highlighted Indonesia’s effort to introduce pencak silat on the global stage, including advocating for its inclusion in the Olympics. He believes that sports, particularly pencak silat, can embody principles of security resilience, contributing to nation-building, social cohesion, and conflict resolution. Indonesia has shown its support for the UN Office for Combating Terrorism’s Global Sports Programme by utilizing traditional and modern sports to empower youth and enhance resilience.
The event also shed light on the lessons learned from the 2024 Paris Olympics, underscoring the importance of robust security infrastructure and preparedness for major sporting events. Minister Dito stressed the necessity of innovative security frameworks, intelligence sharing, and global partnerships to effectively manage security challenges. Indonesia aims to bolster public-private collaborations, improve sports safety standards, and foster international cooperation to combat violent extremism through sports.
President Prabowo Subianto’s vision of bringing pencak silat to the Olympics was highlighted during the event, calling for support from all stakeholders. He emphasized the importance of preserving pencak silat as Indonesia’s cultural heritage and striving for its inclusion in the Olympics. These efforts align with Indonesia’s commitment to promoting collaboration for peace and unity through sports. The country’s dedication to using sports as a symbol of peace and resilience reflects a collective aspiration to ensure a secure and inclusive sporting environment globally.
