SPEECH BY
CHARGE D'AFFAIRES A.I.
OF THE INDONESIAN EMBASSY
ON THE OCCASION OF THE INDONESIAN MULTICULTURAL
AND HARMONY FESTIVAL,
SYDNEY, 7TH SEPTEMBER 2002
In the name of God the most compassionate and merciful,
May peace be upon all of us,Honorable Members of the Parliament,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,At the outset, I wish to extend my sincere thanks to the organizing committee for inviting me to partake in this delightful event that indeed augurs well with our strong commitment to enrich the social interactions between and among members of the Australian community and at the same time keep our cultural identities cultivated.
Indeed, with approximately 220 million people, more than 17,000 islands and 350 ethnicities enriched with the presence of all major religions of the world, Indonesia is definitely a multiculturally diverse society that used to live in harmony for hundreds of years until after its destiny collided with and, hence, colonized by the outside powers for almost four centuries. The iron-will of the Indonesian people to break free from those colonial powers helped by many friendly countries all over the world, including Australia, had enabled Indonesia to declare its independence on August 17, 1945.
The staunch supports expressed by the Australian government and its people will never be forgotten. Their heroic roles in helping us to break away from foreign subjugation had been goldenly inked in Indonesia's modern history. For those who are not so familiar with Indonesia and Australia bilateral ties, I wish to inform them that this great country had generously hosted some of our fallen countrymen who were transported by the Dutch Administration to this continent as prisoners of war and who unfortunately ended their lives in Cowra, New South Wales. We really feel indebted to the people of New South Wales. Those Indonesian fallen heroes - indeed all of us - have contributed to the development of a tolerant and multicultural Australia as it is known today.
Honorable Members of the Parliament,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,With the introduction of hi-tech in the transportation sector, the world is currently undergoing a revolution in people movement. To date, no single country is alien-free, increasingly exposing itself thereby to the formation of a multicultural society. In such a society where many different people from so many different regional, cultural and religious backgrounds jointly live and interact, harmony is indeed an important element to glue them in unison.
Indonesia is no exception. It has to embrace tolerance, acceptance and mutual understanding in order to be able to progress and prosper. These ideals are not only important to Indonesians living in Indonesia, but also to Indonesians living outside of their homeland. Here in Australia for example, harmony is an important element within the Indonesian community as much as it is an important ingredient in the fabric of the Australian society. Australia too is an extremely multiculturally diverse society in which many people of different origins live in peace and harmony. We - as Indonesians living in Australia - must continue to relate to the local communities as well as to our fellow countrymen in Indonesia.
Honorable Members of the Parliament,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,Today we are once again presented with the richness of Indonesia's cultures through which we will be able to sample some of its fine cuisines as well as enjoy its cultural performances presented by various ethnic groups, symbolizing the harmony of our society. Better still, I am informed that some of our beloved brothers and sisters from India, Sri Lanka, Samoa, and Aboriginal people also participate in this event. Again, it underlines the multicultural nature of Australia.
It is against this backdrop that I consider Australia and Indonesia share and cherish similar values as featured out in our national coat of arms, namely: 'Unity in Diversity'. It would be remiss of me should I fail to mention that recently Indonesia is navigating through a tumultuous period, testing our resolve to remain faithful to the pledge Indonesians solemnly declared on October 28, 1928 to be united under one nation, one country and one language: Indonesia. Notwithstanding, I firmly believed that Indonesians will be able to follow the excellent example set by their founding fathers as well as the Australian people to form a democratic and prosperous nation in which all will be equally treated regardless of their ethnicities, traits, religious beliefs, and skin-colors. A challenging task indeed, requiring our concerted efforts to succeed.
And I believe that is what today's event is all about. The Indonesian Multicultural and Harmony Festival organized by the Indonesian Association of New South Wales is a reflection of the richness of Indonesian cultures within the ambit of the Australian spirit. On many ways, this festival is truly a celebration of harmony and multiculturalism.
So let us enjoy today's activities, and celebrate the ideals of harmony and multiculturalism along with the concepts of tolerance and acceptance that they entail. And while we are here today, let us also contemplate on how significant these ideals are to the Indonesian identities.
Thank you.Sydney, 07 September 2002
Imron Cotan
Charge d'Affaires
Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, Canberra - Australia