Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia at the Nusantara Islamic Tradition Festival at the Diponegoro Stadium, Banyuwangi Regency, East Java Province, January 9, 2023
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.
Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
Honorable Ministers;
Distinguished Supreme Leader (Rais ‘Aam) of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) supervisory board KH. Miftachul Akhyar;
Distinguished Chairperson of the NU supervisory board KH. Yahya Cholil Staquf as well as all ranks of the NU supervisory board;
Honorable Governor of East Java and Regent of Banyuwangi;
Honorable Kiai (Islamic teachers) and the Nyai (spouses of Kiai), the caretakers of the Islamic boarding schools that I cannot possibly mention one by one;
Distinguished Abdul Syech Abdul Qadir Assegaf, he is a habib (a descendant of Prophet Muhammad PBUH) from Solo but I haven’t seen him for about 8 years. Finally, I meet him in Banyuwangi. In the past when I was a mayor, I met him every day;
Honorable Chairperson of the Steering Committee Erick Thohir and Chairperson of the Organizing Committee Yeni Wahid;
Distinguished guests that I cannot possibly mention one by one.
Before I deliver my remarks, I would like to ask you who earlier recite the verse from Alfiyah Ibn Malik to please come forward. Please, come forward. Already home? come on the stage. And also earlier, the youngest one? The young one with the best gendang (traditional drum) skill, please come forward. Where are you? the small one and not the big. Please, come here.
Please repeat just this one, just one verse from earlier. Yes. No, just a short one to remind us, your voice was so good.
[A verse from Alfiyah Ibn Malik recited]
Okay, enough. One bike for you.
The one who play gendang, you do not have it with you. But, that is okay, a bike for you. Okay, please. Okay, wait, please note his name first. I do not have the bike with me but tomorrow morning, God willing, you will have it.
Thank God, we are very grateful, our homeland indonesia is an Emerald of the Equator (Zamrud Khatulistiwa) with its diverse ethnicities, languages, cultures, and religions. We are one in diversity. We acculturate, assimilate, and adapt to each other. In cross-cultural interaction, we do not lose our identity. We are harmonious and united. This is what we witness. What we witness tonight is exactly what I just said earlier.
And, we must learn from our past religious scholars, including the Wali Songo, who chose the path of culture in carrying out Islamic da’wah and propagation so that Islamic teachings can coexist with and enliven the diverse cultures in our regions. They contributed majorly to the nation’s rich civilization.
Distinguished Kiai, Nyai, and Islamic scholars, as well as ladies and gentlemen,
Thanks to the wisdom of the Islamic scholars, our diverse nation, Indonesia, can be solidly harmonious and united. Thanks to the wisdom of the religious scholars, our country has a variety of cultural arts with a strong Islamic style. They have adapted and enhanced our diverse culture. They enriched and made our culture even more special.
I want the youngest one who played hadra to please come forward. The youngest one who played hadra wearing green top and black bottom, the youngest one. If you are not the youngest one, do not come on the stage. Please come forward to the youngest one. Please, for the youngest one, we want to circumcise him ( a joke). Come here, your name? What is your name?
A hadra performer (Dian)
Dian.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Dian. Your name is Dian. How old are you?
A hadra performer (Dian)
I am twelve.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Twelve years old. And, you?
A hadra performer (Aufat)
Aufat.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Aufat. How old are you?
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Thirteen years old. Dian wins. Adit, how old are you? Twelve years old. Twelve years old, the one who gets the bike is thirteen. Alright, please come down. Alright, it is just a joke, all three of them got the bikes. Just a minute, please write their name down.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
Art and culture are not only for the sake of performance but also contain messages of life to guide us to remember the magnificence of the God almighty as well as to encourage us in doing good deeds and prevent us from doing evil deeds. It also refines our feelings strengthens our tolerance, calls for moderation, and maintains harmony in diversity and boosts the social system in our society, the Nusantara archipelago.
Therefore, I would like to invite Muslims all over the country, especially Nahdlatul Ulama members, to take part in protecting and preserving the diverse cultural wealth of the archipelago, to make use of cultural arts as part of da’wah and propagation to build civilization, to keep it alive and adaptive in facing the progress of the times.
That being the case, I really appreciate that in the series of events commemorating one century of Nahdlatul Ulama, the Nusantara Islamic Tradition Festival is currently being held to show and reintroduce the rich Islamic tradition in the country while at the same time showing concern and love for the nation’s cultural wealth.
I would also like to thank the big family of Nahdlatul Ulama for your constant role in spreading tolerance, peace and harmony. You always prioritize ukhuwah islamiyah (Islamic brotherhood), ukhuwah wathaniyah (national brotherhood), and ukhuwah basyariyah (humanitarian brotherhood). You stand at the forefront in guarding the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.
This concludes my remarks on this auspicious opportunity.
And, lastly, for Banser (civilian militia wing of the Nahdlatul Ulama) member, the oldest one, please come forward. To those who think they are the oldest, please step forward. And, for the youngest Pagar Nusa martial art student, please come forward. The female and the youngest one from the Pagar Nusa, please come on the stage. One person only. Come on. Alright, already on the stage. Please introduce your name.
A Banser member (Sudaryono)
My name is Sudaryono.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Where are you from, Sudaryono?
A Banser member (Sudaryono)
From Banyuwangi Branch Coordination Unit.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Banyuwangi Branch Coordination Unit. How old are you, Sir?
A Banser member (Sudaryono)
I am fifty-one years old, Sir.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Fifty-one years old? You look thirty-two. Is it correct?
A Banser member (Sudaryono)
Fifty-one years old.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Alright, I will send the bike tomorrow. Where were the two earlier? They came back. Okay, that means they do not want it. Please, what is your name?
Pagar Nusa Martial Art Student (Laura)
I am Laura.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Laura, what Pagar Nusa stripe are you? Green? Yellow? Oh, right, yellow stripe. So, green belt with yellow stripe. How old are you?
Pagar Nusa Martial Art Student (Laura)
I am fourteen.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Fourteen. Alright, earlier, what is your name?
Pagar Nusa Martial Art Student (Laura)
Laura.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
How old are you?
Pagar Nusa Martial Art Student (Laura)
Fourteen.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Alright, Okay. A bike too for you, alright. Please.
One more. Now, I will give you a question, please come forward, anyone is welcome, but do not fight over it. On what date does the National Santri Day celebrated? Please come forward quickly. Alright, stop. First, what is your name?
A santri, an Islamic boarding school student (Muhammad Ikbal Maulana)
My name is Muhammad Ikbal Maulana.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Muhammad Ikbal Maulana. The question is on what date does the National Santri Day celebrated?
A santri (Muhammad Ikbal Maulana)
On the 22nd of October.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
On the 22nd of October, correct. Alright, a bike for you.
This concludes my remarks on this auspicious opportunity.
Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
(FI/LW)