Ministry Of Culture Calls For World Peace At Inter-Civilization Exchanges And Mutual Learning Forum

JAKARTA Minister of Culture Fadli Zon appeared as a keynote speaker at the Inter-Civilization Exchange and Mutual Learning Forum held by the Chinese Government through the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI)., Friday, July 11. This forum is an important space to strengthen cross-border cultural collaboration for a more peaceful and fair future.

In his speech, the Minister of Education emphasized that inter-district dialogue is not just a discourse. This dialogue is a bridge that unites the nation. Through exchange of knowledge, we can knit peace, progress, and prosperity together," said Menbud Fadli Zon as quoted on Friday, July 11.

The event was attended by leaders of Asian, African and Latin American countries. The big theme of the forum, Safeguarding the Diversity of Human Civilizations for World Peace and Development, emphasizes the importance of maintaining cultural diversity as the foundation of global peace.

Fadli appreciated President Xi Jinping's initiative, as well as affirming Indonesia's support for GCI. He mentioned the visit of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to China in 2024 which strengthened strategic cooperation between the two countries.

Indonesia houses of extraordinary diversity. There are more than 1,340 ethnic groups, 718 regional languages, and 2,213 unobserved cultural heritages (WBTB) that have been recorded nationally and more than 50,000 potential WBTBs," said Fadli. He also underlined Indonesia's important position in human history with the discovery of Homo-erectus and Homo floresis in archaeological sites such as Sangiran, Trinil, Ngandong, and ancient paintings in Leang-Leang in Maros, South Sulawesi.

According to him, diversity is not a burden, but the strength of the nation. "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika is a pillar of unity. We teach diversity and solidarity," he said.

Fadli also mentioned the tragedy of Gaza, which according to him is not only a geopolitical crisis, but a genocide of civilization. "Gaza is a cultural disaster. The world must not be silent. We must fight double standards in the Palestinian struggle," he exclaimed.

He emphasized that Indonesia will continue to stand at the forefront of defending the right of the Palestinian people to be independent and sovereign.

Quoting President Sukarno's speech at the 1955 Asian Africa Conference, Fadli reminded the importance of mutual understanding and fair cooperation between nations. He encouraged the strengthening of South-South Korean cooperation so that developing countries would no longer be left behind.

"Through dialogue, appreciation for culture, and efforts to uphold global justice, we can build a peaceful, inclusive, and just future," concluded Fadli Zon.