8 Apr, 2013
Indonesian President attends Hindu Day celebration
Jakarta (ANTARA News) Sun, April 7 2013 – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Boediono attended the celebration of the National Dharma Shanti Hindu Day of Silence 2013 at the Senayan Sports Palace here on Sunday evening. The President was accompanied by First Lady Mrs Ani Yudhoyono. Vice President Boediono’s wife, Herawati Boediono, also attended the function.
On the occasion, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono asked all parties to continue maintaining tolerance and political ethics in entering the year of politics in the run up to the 2014 general elections.
“The year of politics should be colored with an attitude that highly preserves tolerance and mutual respect and honor. We should keep away from the behavior that wants to bring down and blaspheme with each other. We should keep away from anarchic acts, detrimental rallies and defamation which smear the tolerance sphere,” the President said.
President Yudhoyono called on all religious leaders, including Hindu leaders, to jointly encourage religious communities to preserve tolerance and security and orderliness.
“On this good occasion, I call on religious leaders in the country, including Hindu leaders, to help maintain religious harmony,” President Yudhoyono said.
In the meantime, chairman of the organizing committee Gde Pradnyana said the celebration of the Hindu Day of Silence, Saka year 1935, aimed to encourage the spirit of togetherness towards advanced and prosperous Indonesia. “The theme of the celebration is `With Solidarity, We Build Togetherness`,” he said.
He said that the choice of the theme was based on the awareness that the strength of the nation lied on its diversity. “We want to continue to voice that the nation`s togetherness towards glory is built on care, tolerance and strong solidarity,” he said.
He said that the celebration of the Hindu Day of Silence was marked not only with religious activities but also social and other activities which promoted peace and understanding of the importance of building tolerance and diversity.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Indonesian Hindu Dharma Council Maj. Gen. SN Suwisma said his side was calling on the people to give priority to solidarity amid the sphere of political competition.
“We hope that all citizens will give priority to the interest of nation and state rather than to personal and group interests. Competition in a political constellation is natural. But it should be based on solidarity not on hostility,” he said.
The celebration of the National Dharma Shanti Hindu Day of Silence was also attended cabinet ministers and other state officials.
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