President Yudhoyono stresses on importance of cultural diversity

Kendari - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Indonesia`s cultural diversity could serve as basic capital for the nantion to make progress and achieve excellence.

The president made the statement in his written remarks read out by Religious Affairs Minister Maftuh Basyuni at the opening of the 10th National Utsawa Dharma Gita Festival in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi`s provincial capital, on Monday night.

Utsawa Dharma Gita is a Balinese Hindu festival in which participants chant religious hymns to attract people to maintain and preserve Balinese culture which locals feel is slowly losing its identity.

To help the nation make progress, the President said, the religious community in the country should be able to transform culture, to adapt to global science and technology while firmly continuing to assert themselves as part of a nation whose national slogan was "Unity in Diversity."

Culture manifests itself not only in artistic expressions because culture is the totality of the material and non-material heritage reflected in the identity of the Indonesian people, the President said.

In maintaining its own cultural identity, the nation would surely face big challenges such as intervention by foreign culture, globalization, and clashes of civilizations, including loss of identity and cultural debates within the nation.

But all these challenges should be faced seriously and in a wise manner, the President said.

Source: http://www.antara.co.id (August 05, 2008)
Credit Photo: www.presidenri.go.id

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