Minister of Youth and Sports, Dito Ariotedjo, took the opportunity at 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 promote pencak silat as a cultural heritage of Indonesia. Pencak silat, recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, embodies values of discipline, resilience, and peace, going beyond just martial arts. Minister Dito highlighted how this traditional Indonesian martial art teaches practitioners to defend and protect while promoting harmony and peace.
Indonesia sees pencak silat as a symbol of global resilience and is striving to raise its international profile, including as a potential Olympic sport. Minister Dito believes that sports such as pencak silat represent principles of security resilience and contribute to nation-building, social cohesion, and conflict resolution. Through their support of the UN Office for Combating Terrorism’s Global Sports Programme, Indonesia aims to use both traditional and modern sports to empower youth and increase resilience.
The event also drew important lessons from the 2024 Paris Olympics, underlining the significance of robust security infrastructure and preparedness for major sporting events. Minister Dito stressed the importance of innovative security frameworks, intelligence sharing, and global partnerships to effectively manage security challenges. Indonesia is committed to enhancing public-private partnerships, improving sports safety standards, and fostering international cooperation to combat violent extremism through sports.
President Prabowo Subianto’s vision to bring pencak silat to the Olympics was discussed, with a call for support from all stakeholders. Preserving pencak silat as Indonesia’s cultural heritage and advocating for its inclusion in the Olympics were key points emphasized. These efforts align with Indonesia’s commitment to promoting collaboration for peace and unity through sports. Indonesia’s dedication to using sports as a beacon of peace and resilience reflects a common goal of creating a secure and inclusive sporting environment globally.
