President Prabowo Subianto Reaffirms Commitment to Elevate Pencak Silat to the Olympics
President Prabowo delivers his remarks at the 16th National Congress (Musyawarah Nasional/Munas) of the Indonesian Pencak Silat Association (IPSI) for the 2026–2030 term at the Jakarta International Convention Center (JICC), Jakarta, on Saturday (04/11).
President Prabowo Subianto has reaffirmed his strong commitment to promoting pencak silat to the global stage, with the aim of making it one of the sports contested in the Olympic Games.
The President conveyed this commitment in his remarks at the 16th National Congress (Musyawarah Nasional/Munas) of the Indonesian Pencak Silat Association (IPSI) for the 2026–2030 term of service, held at the Jakarta International Convention Center (JICC) in Jakarta, Saturday (04/11).
Speaking at the forum themed “Pencak Silat Goes Global: The Road to the Olympics,” the President expressed his pride and honor in the martial arts’ long journey and its role in bringing international recognition to Indonesia.
“Today is a day of pride and happiness for me, and truly an honor,” the President remarked.
According to the President, pencak silat has become a symbol of Indonesia’s cultural identity on the world stage especially through the international achievements made by its martial arts practitioner.
The Head of State also commended the athletes and coaching staffs for their dedication, which has yielded numerous medals and elevated Indonesia’s prestige globally.
“[With pencak silat], we have brought honor to our nation on the international stage, earning pride in various competitions. We have won numerous gold, silver, and bronze medals that have upheld Indonesia’s dignity in the eyes of the world,” he said.
However, the President stressed that realizing the “Pencak Silat Road to Olympics” vision will demand hard work and consistency, even as he remains optimistic about achieving this goal.
“We still have a long way to go to before pencak silat can be included in the Olympics Games. [While] we are confident that will eventually happen, we should not be overly fixated [on it]. Our focus must remain on preserving the very roots of pencak silat itself,” said the President.
The President underscored that the true strength of pencak silat lies in its core values and the quality of its teachings, which have been passed down through generations. Therefore, the President expressed belief that the more authentic and disciplined its practice remains, the greater its appeal will be to the world.
“If we keep our traditions pure and strong, people from all over will come to learn. This has already been proven, as many countries have sent their students to us, and some have even become masters,” he continued.
“I will always ready to support [IPSI]. With or without any formal title, a fighter remains a fighter until his last breath,” the President emphasized.
By preserving its cultural purity while continually enhancing its competitive standards, President Prabowo Subianto remains confident that pencak silat will not only flourish as a treasured cultural heritage but also eventually claim its rightful place on the world’s greatest global sporting stage: the Olympic Games. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (NST/EP)
