Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia on the State Visit of His Holiness Pope Francis, Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church/Head of State of the Holy See, His Holiness Pope Francis, September 4, 2024

Good morning,
Peace be upon us all,
Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,
Om swastiastu,
Namo buddhaya,
Greetings of virtue.

Your Holiness Holy Father Pope Francis,
Distinguished Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia,

Distinguished President-elect of the Republic of Indonesia,
Distinguished leaders of the state institutions, religious figures,
Ladies and Gentlemen.

Our country, Indonesia, is delighted and honored to welcome Your Holiness Holy Father Pope Francis. I understand that this is the longest-haul flight Your Holiness has ever undertaken. Thank you, Your Holiness, for accepting our invitation to visit Indonesia.

This visit conveys a powerful message about the importance of celebrating diversity. Indonesia is a pluralistic nation, comprising various ethnic groups—I mentioned to His Holiness that Indonesia is home to 714 ethnic groups and 17,000 inhabited islands, each with its own distinct culture, religion, and ethnicity. We continually strive to maintain harmony within this diversity.

For Indonesia, diversity is a blessing, and tolerance is the foundation of unity and peace as a nation. We are fortunate to have Pancasila and Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity) as our ideology and guiding principles, which enable us to live together in harmony. This spirit of peace and tolerance is what Indonesia and the Vatican seek to promote, especially in this increasingly turbulent world.

As we all know, conflicts and wars are raging in various parts of the world, including in Palestine, which have claimed more than 40,000 lives. Indonesia deeply appreciates the Vatican’s consistent advocacy for peace in Palestine and its support for a two-state solution, as war benefits no one. It only brings suffering and hardship to the people.

Therefore, let us celebrate the differences we have. Let us accept one another and fortify tolerance to achieve peace and create a better world for all mankind.

I thank you.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

(AY/MUR)