Indonesian is Now an Official Language at UNESCO's International Forum.

Director of Culture and Tradition Protection, Ministry of Culture Restu Gunawan when met at the National Library in Jakarta, Tuesday (4/11/2025). (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Restu Gunawan, Director of Cultural and Tradition Protection at the Ministry of Culture, stated that the recognition of Indonesian as an official language by UNESCO is a major achievement and a source of national pride.

"Language is an important part of efforts to advance culture. Thank God, Indonesian has now been recognized as an official language by UNESCO. This is certainly a source of pride for all of us," he said.

Restu hopes that people will become more confident and proud to use Indonesian, not only in everyday life but also in various international forums.

Responding to the phenomenon of younger generations, especially in big cities like Jakarta, who increasingly use English, Restu views this as a positive potential for competing on the global stage. However, he emphasized the importance of balancing foreign language proficiency with the preservation of national and regional languages.

"We must preserve regional languages, strengthen Indonesian, and master foreign languages. Regional languages ​​hold traditional values ​​and are symbols of regional pride," he explained.

Previously, UNESCO designated ten official languages ​​to be used at its 2025 General Assembly. Indonesian now joins nine other languages: Arabic, Mandarin, English, French, Hindi, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

This designation not only establishes Indonesian as a means of communication in international forums, but also demonstrates respect for the identity and culture of the Indonesian nation.

Under UNESCO regulations, there are two categories of languages ​​used: official languages ​​and working languages. Official languages ​​serve for the translation of important documents such as the constitution, amendments, resolutions, and session reports. Meanwhile, working languages ​​are used during debates, simultaneous interpretation, and the preparation of daily documents in sessions.

Through this recognition, Indonesian further solidifies its position on the world stage as a unifying language with high cultural and diplomatic value.