JAKARTA - Minister of Culture Fadli Zon said the National Awakening Day should be an invitation to care for unity in the midst of Indonesia's diversity. He said that cultural differences had been used by the colonizers to divide the nation, but then the founders of the nation turned it into a force of struggle.
This was conveyed by Fadli when he was the inspector of the 118th National Awakening Day ceremony at the National Awakening Museum, Jakarta, Wednesday (20/5).
"Now, this difference has become a force that unites us so that new milestones are born that build the nation's revival," said Fadli.
According to the Minister of Education, the challenges of the founding fathers were not light. They had to unite the forces that were scattered as a result of divisive politics or divide et impera.
Fadli said the spirit of National Awakening needed to be connected with today's challenges, including geopolitical uncertainty. Therefore, he encouraged the public to rekindle the spirit of Budi Utomo in the fields of social, economic, cultural, and creative industries.
He also called the Asta Cita government of President Prabowo Subianto as the direction of national development. Programs such as Free Nutritious Meals, people's schools, Garuda schools in affirmative areas, improving the quality of teachers, scholarships, free health checks, and the Red and White Cooperative are said to be part of efforts to fulfill the people's right to a decent life.
In the field of culture, Fadli said the government would continue to protect, develop, utilize, and nurture national culture.
"We must make culture a force to unite the Indonesian nation, become jati diri and identity," he said.
The 118th Harkitnas ceremony carries the theme "Rise from Here". The activity also opens the series of Awakening Month with a number of cultural programs.
During the event, Fadli inaugurated the Joseph L. Spartz Cannon Exhibition room and reviewed the Science SciArt 8.0 Exhibition: The Fire of National Awakening.
The Ministry of Culture also received three MURI records, namely the Oldest Rock Painting, the Designation of the Most National Cultural Heritage, and the Exhibition of the Most Scientific Figure Paintings.
Fadli hopes that the spirit of national awakening can continue to live in the community, especially in maintaining unity and Indonesian culture.
"Every step of development must be oriented towards common progress," said Fadli.
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