Kupang Nusantara Peace Gong Monument Inaugurated By President SBY In Today's Memory, February 8, 2011

JAKARTA – In today's memory, 12 years ago, on February 8, 2011, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) inaugurated the Nusantara Peace Gong Monument in Taman Nostalgia, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). The inauguration was marked by the sound of a gong which SBY played three times.

Previously, SBY's commitment to safeguarding diversity and peace among religious communities was unquestionable. His efforts to become a leader for all groups are second to none. Moreover, SBY believes that diversity is Indonesia's real strength.

Every Indonesian leader has a big homework in maintaining diversity. This challenge forces a leader to have the courage to stand up for all groups without discrimination. That was what President SBY later agreed to when he took office.

He wants diversity to manifest as Indonesia's true strength. This power is also able to make Indonesia free from all kinds of divisive agendas. SBY tried to be present to defend all groups. From the majority to the minority.

SBY's seriousness in supporting diversity was seen when he defended the Chinese ethnicity. He also thought about the lives of the Chinese people who are often considered 'stepchildren' in Indonesia. He doesn't want discrimination against Chinese people to continue. SBY installed the agency for it.

What's more, SBY often echoes the spirit of diversity and tolerance at every opportunity. At the celebration of Indonesia's 65th Independence Day (HUT) in 2010, for example. SBY appealed to the Indonesian people to continue to take refuge in the philosophy of living in harmony in pluralism.

"On this auspicious occasion, still in terms of building a democratic and just life, I would like to underline the need for us to continue to maintain and strengthen our brotherhood, harmony, and tolerance as a nation. In everyday life, we still encounter cases that do not reflect harmony, tolerance, and mutual respect between components of our society that differ in identity, whether it concerns religion, ethnicity, ethnicity, and regionalism."

"We cannot allow this situation. We want every citizen to be able to live his life peacefully and in accordance with the rights he has. This is actually the philosophy of "living in harmony and peace in pluralism". This is actually the full meaning of Unity in Diversity that we adhere to and implement," said SBY in his State of the Union speech on August 16, 2010, at the DPR/MPR Building, as quoted on the State Secretariat's website.

Commitment to maintaining harmony continues to be voiced by SBY at every opportunity. He then fully supports the existence of the Peace Gong Monument. He even attended the inauguration of the Peace Gong in Kupang, NTT, on 8 February 2011.

SBY also symbolically inaugurated the Peace Gong in Nostalgia Park symbolically by beating the gong three times. The Mayor of Kupang, Daniel Adoe, and the Minister of Communication and Information (Menkominfo), Tifatul Sembiring, were also present at the event.

The presence of the monument is considered quite appropriate in Kupang. This is because Kupang has various ethnicities and is able to coexist peacefully. He wants Kupang to be a perfect example of living with mutual respect and tolerance between ethnicities, races, and religions. SBY also asked all religious leaders in Kupang to continue to spread the spirit of diversity and mutual respect.

"Please pray for religious figures and leaders to be blessed by God Almighty," concluded President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as quoted on the Antara page, February 8, 2011.