Wearing Nias Traditional Clothes, Ganjar Inaugurates Central Java Assimilation House: We Are All Brothers

The presidential candidate from the PDI-P, Ganjar Pranowo, inaugurated the Central Java National Assimilation House, in Semarang, Tuesday, May 16. (Special)

SEMARANG - Likurai dance and Tihar music graced the inauguration ceremony of the Central Java National Assimilation House, at the Wisma Perdamaian, Imam Bonjol Street, Semarang, Tuesday 16 May.

The inauguration of the National Assimilation House, which was initiated by the Central Java National Assimilation Forum (FPK), was also attended by Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo.

The Central Java National Assimilation Forum consists of various ethnic groups in Indonesia. Among them are Javanese, Sundanese, Dayak, Minang to Papuan.

"This is the inauguration as well as halal bihalal. It can be said that this is the only province in Indonesia that has an Assimilation House,” said Muhammad Adnan, Head of FPK Central Java.

Ganjar said, the Mixing House is a meeting point for existing differences. The Mixing House can be a space for exchanging ideas, and learning from each other's differences as a unit.

"These are pioneers, pioneer figures from many tribes in Central Java. There was Nias, there was Java, there was Maluku, there was NTT, they had gathered from Papua. They agreed that it was necessary to have this assimilation house so that there would be a meeting point for them to meet," he said.

Ganjar hopes that the FPK's presence can increase tolerance in Central Java, which has been well developed so far.

As is known, based on the release of the SETARA Institute in early April, the 10 most tolerant cities in Indonesia, 4 of which are in Central Java. The four cities are Salatiga City, Surakarta City, Semarang City and Magelang City.

In addition, Central Java Province recently received an award from the Republic of Indonesia's National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) as a region that is committed to implementing the National Action Plan for the Prevention and Mitigation of Violent-Based Extremism that Leads to Terrorism (RAN PE).

This title was obtained because Central Java is committed to preventing extreme and radical views through regulations, education, and economic empowerment. The BNPT also recorded an intolerance index in Central Java which was quite low at 6.8 percent and was still below the National index of 12.6 percent.

“Especially now that it is a political year. Don't bring up racial issues later, then this house becomes important for us to cool the situation because we are brothers, we are Indonesians, we speak Indonesian, we have Indonesian homeland and we are an Indonesian nation," he said.