Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia at the Opening of the 21st National Sports Week (PON), in Harapan Bangsa Stadium, Banda Aceh, Aceh Province, September 9, 2024
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.
Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
Honorable Ministers of the Indonesia Onward Cabinet;
Honorable Chairperson of the Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI);
Honorable Commander of the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI), Chief of the Indonesian National Police (Kapolri), and Head of the National Intelligence Agency (KaBIN);
Honorable Governors of Aceh and North Sumatra, as well as Regents and Mayors attending the event;
Dear athletes and contingents participating in the 21st PON;
Ladies and Gentlemen, especially the people of Aceh province attending this evening.
Salam olahraga! (means: sports greeting)
This evening, all of us are happy. This evening, all of us are excited to welcome the biggest sporting event in our country, Indonesia. This evening, I’d also like to express my gratitude, teurimong gaséh, to the regional government and the people of Aceh for hosting the opening of the 21st PON Aceh-North Sumatra.
The PON is an opportunity to present more of the nation’s best athletes, to present more world record-breakers, to present more prospective gold medalists at the Asian Games, at the SEA Games, and even at the Olympics.
But equally crucial, the National Sports Week is also our chance to strengthen our unity, to strengthen our brotherhood as a nation. Therefore, I strongly encourage you to uphold sportsmanship and fair play.
Let us celebrate this National Sports Week with a spirit of togetherness, with a spirit of sportsmanship and joy, to make achievements for our country.
By saying bismillahirrahmanirrahim, I hereby open the 21st PON Aceh-North Sumatra.
Thank you.
Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
(FI/MMB)