Khalid Tawalbeh
Doha
The Indonesian Embassy in Doha, in collaboration with Qatar Museums and Qatar Foundation, and with the support of Indonesian Community Association (PERMIQA) as well as the Ministry of Education and Culture of Indonesia held the "Pencak Silat Indonesia” event on 14 February 2023.
The event sought to promote the philosophical tradition of Pencak Silat in the State of Qatar and was held in celebration of Qatar National Sport Day and Qatar-Indonesia Year of Culture. Five renowned athletes and performers of Pencak Silat demonstrated their skills at Multaqa Plaza, Education City, Qatar.
"I believe that there’s nothing that unites the world better than sport. A global understanding in sports can definitely play a big role in this regard,” said HE the Ambassador of Indonesia to the State of Qatar.
"Pencak Silat” is a traditional sport deeply rooted in cultural heritage, values, and philosophy of Indonesia. ‘Pencak’ means traditional movements in traditional attire accompanied by traditional music, while ‘Silat’ means the techniques of self-defence.
The embedded local values taught to Pencak Silat practitioners help them to maintain their relationship with God, human beings, and nature. Thus, it is a complex form of traditional martial art which also emphasises mental, spiritual, self-defence, and artistic aspects. The evidence of Pencak Silat has been traced back to the 6th century, but it is believed to have been passed down for ages before being documented.
Traditional sports are usually taught and passed down from generation to generation. In 2019, Pencak Silat was inscribed on the "Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” by UNESCO.
UNESCO recognises that Pencak Silat has become the identity and symbol of unification of the Indonesian nation, because it contains the values of friendship, mutual respect, and promotes social cohesion.