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Indonesians Walk the Peace Road 2015
Written by UPF-Asia
Sunday, August 9, 2015
Jakarta, Indonesia—On August 9, Indonesia was the seventh country in Asia to host the Peace Road 2015. This year, the tour celebrates its 10th anniversary with events in 120 countries.
Participants in the one-day event walked from the Jakarta governor’s office, along Jalan MH Thamrin, a major road that runs through the Central Business district of Indonesia’s capital city, to the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout and back. The event was held on a Sunday, a day when this route is car-free and, in the early mornings, cyclists bike and pedestrians walk along it.
A week ahead of the 70th anniversary of Indonesia’s declaration of independence, central Jakarta was decorated in red and white, the colors of the Indonesian flag, which symbolize sacrifice and purity. To express their patriotic love and devotion to their country, many of the participants dressed in red and white, which visually underlined the theme of the walk: “70 years of Independence of the Republic of Indonesia: Towards Unity and Peace in Indonesia.”
After singing the national anthem, signing the Peace Road banner and explaining the significance of the program, Indonesian peace president Mrs. Herawaty Rinto Paeran commenced the walk. Thousands of members of pencak silat, a form of martial arts originating in Indonesia, had also gathered to walk the same route at the same time. When participants of the tour began singing patriotic songs, the group joined in joyfully, marching alongside the participants.
The highlight of the tour was reaching the main destination: the historical landmark of the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout. On their walk back, the participants shared their thoughts and hearts with one another. Ambassador for Peace Mrs. Betty Sitorus, who is from Jakarta, remarked that she had never walked this route on a car-free day and was amazed by the number of people walking and cycling along it. The walk was a time to celebrate the joy of bringing peace and unity to this world.
The event was covered by Indonesia PAGI, a TV show on Indonesian TV network Televisi Republik Indonesia (TVRI), who interviewed the chair and vice-chair of the organizing committee, Mrs. Paeran and Mrs. Meyke Rangkang. To watch a video of the segment, please click here.
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