Indonesia International Culture Festival 2023”.

Jakarta,Good afternoon ladies and gentleman, all my honored guests. First of all, I would like to thank God who has been giving us blessings and mercies so we can attend today’s in a good condition. I also want to thank the master of ceremony for giving me the opportunity to deliver the speech on the event “Indonesia International Culture Festival 2023”.

My honorable audiences,

I’m very delighted to see so many audiences, who are from different parts of the world, in different time zones, and with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Today’s event serves as a good opportunity to enhance mutual understanding among people and set a great example of cultural diversity for world peace.

I believe that the world is a gift to us from God who created it like a bouquet of flowers. This world is blessed with diverse religions, faiths, ethnicities and cultural traditions, each one attractive in its own way. When held together by eternal values of love, compassion, justice and equity, they provide us supreme joy and delight.

During the long history of human civilization, human beings have developed different cultures and languages. Culture is the sum of life experiences. Cultural diversity has made the canvas of the world vibrant and wonderful. However, due to mankind’s greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, and skepticism, people’s hearts have become unsettled, the world has turned chaotic, and cultural differences have further widened the distances between people. We need to respect and accept one another so that we can make all kinds of cultures thrive and create a more colorful and harmonious world.

Culture itself is a means to achieve peace by recognizing and respecting the culture, as stated by Dr. Bukhari Daud, M.Ed., at a seminar at Domus Academica Auditorium, University of Oslo, Norway. Or by studying and practicing it well.

The values of cultural diversity involve respect for and acceptance of different cultures. By incorporating different cultures, we can ignite brighter sparks that inspire innovations and excellence in our lives, workplaces, communities, and the world. It is conscience that allows us to see the beauty of cultural diversity. Conscience enables us to see that love and peace can replace indifference and conflicts. People need to respect, accept and learn from other cultures so that the vision of one world can be achieved. 

Conscience is a precious heritage shared by all humanity, and a culture of conscience is humanity’s collective culture. There are stories of conscience passed down from generation to generation in our hometowns as conscience is the origin of human civilization and holds the key to global sustainability. 

My honorable audiences,

To quote Albert Einstein, peace is not just the absence of war, but the presence of justice, law and order, in short, effective governance. Seen from the perspective of true peace where common indicators of social justice, poverty and social inequality are the main factors driving conflict and the absence of peace.

Peace is not merely the absence of war. True peace is dynamic, participatory and long-term. It can be realized when universal human values through culture have taken root and spread in all lines of practical life such as family, school, community, society and the state.

Culture as rules, instructions, plans and strategies consisting of a series of cognitive models owned by humans will be very instrumental and influential in managing shifts in thinking among the diversity of existing community cultures in creating lasting peace by instilling in the minds of the community - especially young people - the values of tolerance and respect for others, eliminating suspicion and hostility. In other words, cultivating the existing culture towards a culture of peace and mutual trust and changing mindsets and patterns of action are expected to come from all elements of society.

Since 1972, UNESCO has an important program in responding to various challenges of world peace and sustainable development, namely through the cultural heritage program. the universal concept in world heritage is interpreted by a sense of shared ownership. A heritage does not only belong to a country or nation, but to all nations in the world that will be passed down from generation to generation.

I hope that with such understanding, a sense of solidarity between nations will grow, which is the main capital for world peace.

My honorable audiences,

Let's apply our conscience and love to promote a culture of peace, enhance the values of cultural diversity, encourage global prosperity, and build a new world of peace and happiness.

Building a culture of peace is through education to know more about one's own culture and other cultures in the family, school, neighborhood and media. Thus, culture will play an important role in peacemaking and will influence all activities in creating peace.

Through culture, we become one