Minister of Youth and Sports, Dito Ariotedjo, recently took center stage 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. During his speech, he passionately showcased pencak silat as a vital cultural heritage of Indonesia, going beyond just martial arts. Pencak silat, recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, instills values of discipline, resilience, and peace among its practitioners. Minister Dito firmly believes that this traditional art form promotes harmony and peace by teaching individuals to defend and protect, showcasing Indonesia’s rich cultural heritage on a global platform.
In his address, Minister Dito highlighted Indonesia’s efforts to elevate pencak silat onto the international stage, potentially even as part of the Olympics. He underlined how sports, particularly pencak silat, embody principles of security resilience that contribute significantly to nation-building, social cohesion, and conflict resolution. Indonesia’s support for the UN Office for Combating Terrorism’s Global Sports Programme underscores its commitment to leveraging both traditional and modern sports to empower youth and enhance resilience.
Reflecting on the lessons learned from the 2024 Paris Olympics, Minister Dito underscored the critical importance of robust security infrastructure and preparedness for hosting major sporting events. He stressed the necessity of innovative security frameworks, intelligence collaboration, and global partnerships to effectively address security challenges. Indonesia is dedicated to forging public-private partnerships, elevating sports safety standards, and fostering international cooperation to combat violent extremism through sports initiatives.
President Prabowo Subianto’s vision to introduce pencak silat to the Olympics was emphasized in Minister Dito’s speech, rallying support from all sectors. The President’s commitment to preserving pencak silat as Indonesia’s cultural heritage and advocating for its participation in the Olympics underscores Indonesia’s determination in promoting collaboration for peace and unity through sports. Indonesia’s unwavering dedication to utilizing sports as a catalyst for peace and resilience aligns with the shared global objective of creating a secure and inclusive sporting environment.
Sources:
– [Link](https://prabowosubianto.com/in-line-with-prabowos-vision-menpora-dito-promotes-pencak-silat-at-the-un-indonesias-legacy-for-global-peace-and-resilience/)
– [Link](https://prabowo2024.net/2025/03/07/promoting-pencak-silat-indonesia-s-legacy-for-global-peace/)
