Day: November 5, 2022

Hundreds of Buddhists from the Indonesian Mahanikaya Buddhist Council (MBMI) participated in Upasika Ratana (Atthasilani) at Borobudur Temple, Magelang, Central Java, on Saturday.

“Atthasilani is a Buddhist dhamma-deepening activity to practice the eight precepts. Participants are expected to radiate happiness of love, and full of hope, so that all beings are happy. The love that has been grown will bring happiness because where there is love, there is happiness,” MBMI chairperson Agus Jaya said here on Saturday.

Several Buddhist activities have been organized by MBMI from November 3 to 6, 2022, at Borobudur Temple. One of the activities was Atthasilani, which was attended by 200 women participants. The activity included reading paritta and participating in meditation, dhamma talk, dhamma class, and offering pindapata or alms to monks.

Jaya said that in the Upasika Ratana series, there was a “blowing bubbles” session, where each participant was given the opportunity to blow as many bubbles as possible into the open air.

According to him, the bubbles represent a philosophic release of all burdens and problems.

Meanwhile, president director of PT TWC, which manages the Borobudur Temple area, Edy Setijono, said in Magelang that his party supports the implementation of religious activities at the temple.

The implementation of the activities aligns with the memorandum of agreement signed by the Yogyakarta regional government, Central Java, and several related ministries, he added.

The use of Borobudur Temple for religious activities is a real step by the government toward realizing the strategic program of Super-Priority Destinations, which was launched by President Joko Widodo.

Moreover, Setijono said, the utilization of Borobudur Temple as a religious destination in an integrative and inclusive way must be interpreted as an important aspect of the temple’s preservation program as a world cultural heritage.

 

 

 

Source: Antara News

The Central Halmahera district government, North Maluku, has expressed pride over President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) designating Salahuddin Bin Talabuddin, who originated from the region, as a national hero.

“Of course, the designation of Salahuddin Bin Talabuddin along with four other figures as (national) heroes is a special gift for the people of Central Halmahera,” district head Edi Langkara said here on Saturday.

The designation of Talabuddin as a national hero is a matter of pride for the people, who have just celebrated the 32nd anniversary of the district, he added.

He asked the public to welcome the national hero status for Talabuddin, who is known to have fought against the Dutch colonizers.

Talabuddin was born in 1874 in Gamia Patani village and died in Ternate city. His resistance against Dutch colonization led to his imprisonment inSawahlunto, Sumatra, from 1918 to 1923, Nusakambangan from 1941 to 1942, and Bovel Digoel in 1943.

Due to his role in the movement against colonial rule in North Maluku, Talabuddin was executed in 1948 in a village in Ternate city. His name was later enshrined at the village.

Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD informed that President Jokowi has designated Talabuddin as a national hero in a post on Twitter.

Besides Talabuddin, four other figures have been named national heroes: H.R. Soeharto (Central Java), KGPAA Paku Alam VIII (Yogyakarta), Dr. R. Rubini Natawisastra (West Kalimantan), and KH Ahmad Sanusi (West Java).

Indonesians will celebrate Heroes Day on November 10. In 2021, President Widodo acted as the inspector of ceremonies leading the commemoration of Heroes’ Day at Kalibata National Heroes Cemetery (TMP) in Jakarta.

 

Source: Antara News

The frequency of commercial flights from China to Indonesia and vice versa is increasing ahead of the G20 Summit to be held in Bali on Nov 15-16, 2022.

China added eight new flight routes from several cities to Jakarta and vice versa, data from the China Civil Aviation Agency (CAAC) showed here on Saturday.

The new flight services are Jakarta-Beijing vv every Monday by Air China; Jakarta-Chengdu vv every Friday by Air China; Jakarta-Guangzhou vv every Monday, Thursday, and Friday by China Southern Airlines; and Jakarta-Xiamen vv every Monday and Saturday by Xiamen Airlines.

They added to the existing flights serving Shenzhen-Jakarta vv every Tuesday (China Southern), Fuzhou-Jakarta vv every Thursday (Xiamen Air), Jakarta-Kunming vv every Friday (Citilink), Jakarta-Wuhan vv every Monday (Lion Air), Jakarta-Guangzhou vv every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Monday (Garuda Indonesia), and Jakarta-Guangzhou vv every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday (Lion Air).

Chinese delegates and over 250 reporters have also started heading to Indonesia ahead of the G20 Summit.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) is yet to confirm whether President Xi Jinping will be in Bali. President Joko Widodo had invited Jinping during a visit to Beijing at the end of July 2022.

“There is no information that I can share (about it) as of today,” MFA spokesman Zhao Lijian said.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Ambassador to China Djauhari Oratmangun had departed from Beijing to Jakarta to prepare to welcome the Chinese delegation. The Immigration Attache of the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing Raden Fitri Saptaji has been on standby in Bali since October 25.

“Warm greetings from Hong Kong,” Ambassador Oratmangun noted in a brief text message to ANTARA Beijing, Friday afternoon, while making a transit at Hong Kong Airport before continuing his flight to Jakarta.

 

 

Source: Antara News

World religious leaders participating in the Religion of Twenty (R20) forum visited the Kimpulan Temple, a Hindu temple located in the middle of an Islamic university’s complex, in Yogyakarta province on Saturday.

“The activity was implemented to provide both religious and cultural experiences to the R20 delegates,” R20 spokesperson and deputy secretary general of the Indonesian Islamic organization Nahdlatul Ulama’s executive board (PBNU) Muhammad Najib Azca said here on Saturday.

The R20, which is a part of the sherpa track of the Indonesian G20 Presidency’s engagement group, aims to encourage discussions among world religious leaders on solutions to various global problems.

During the visit to the temple, the world religious leaders could directly observe how the Hindu temple, which is estimated to have been built in the 9th century, has been well-maintained although currently, it is located in a Muslim community, the R20 spokesperson said.

The preservation of the temple demonstrated the tolerance of Indonesian Muslims to R20 delegates, he added.

Kimpulan Temple was discovered accidentally on December 11, 2009, when an excavation was carried out to lay the foundation for a library at the Indonesian Islamic University (UII), according to the university’s website.

When the temple was found, it was not demolished, Azca informed. Instead, the university administrator adjusted the design of the library to preserve the temple.

“Thus, instead of using the (planned) design, which might destroy or remove the temple, the design (of the library) was changed, thus the temple (finally) remained in the middle of the library,” he recalled.

Due to the adjustment, the temple has become a symbol of Indonesia’s social and cultural diversity and proved that the community appreciates differences, he added.

Meanwhile, UII Chancellor Fathul Wahid said that since its establishment, the UII campus has been open to social diversity.

The existence of Kimpulan Temple in the UII complex encourages all believers to protect and support each other, he added.

“Thus, social equality can be guaranteed, and everyone has the opportunity to grow and develop,” he said.

The R20 meeting was held in Bali province on November 2 and 3, 2022, and was attended by 338 delegates.

The participants of the meeting were slated to visit a number of cultural tourism destinations in Central Java and Yogyakarta provinces from Friday (November 4) to Sunday (October 6).

In addition to the UII, the destinations included the Yogyakarta Palace, Prambanan Temple, Mendut Temple, Borobudur Temple, and the Pandanaran Islamic Boarding School.

 

 

Source: Antara News