Pope Francis' visit brings strong message to celebrate differences

Jakarta, Sept 4 (ANTARA) - Pope Francis' visit to Indonesia brings a strong message of the importance of celebrating differences, according to Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

"This visit has a strong message about the importance of celebrating differences," Jokowi noted in his remarks at a meeting between Pope Francis and the Diplomatic Corps and community representatives at the State Palace, Jakarta, on Wednesday.

At the meeting, Widodo highlighted to the Pope that Indonesia is a pluralistic country comprising various ethnicities, namely 714 tribes and 17 thousand inhabited islands.

Moreover, Indonesian citizens living on the 17 thousand islands have different cultures, religions, and tribes. Hence, the country continues to strive to maintain harmony amid its diversity, the president added.

He believes the differences are a gift, while tolerance is an enriching virtue for unity and peace as a nation.

"Indonesia is very fortunate to have Pancasila and Bhinneka Tunggal Ika for us to live in harmony side by side," the president remarked.

He then invited the Vatican to spread the spirit of peace and tolerance, especially amid an increasingly turbulent world.

Before closing his remarks, Jokowi also invited Indonesian and Vatican citizens to celebrate their differences, accept each other, and strengthen tolerance in order to realize peace and a better world for all humanity.

After conducting a series of state activities at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, the Pope is scheduled to have a private meeting with members of the Jesuit Society at the Apostolic Nunciature of the Vatican Embassy Office in Jakarta.

Pope Francis, the leader of the world's Catholics, is on his apostolic journey to the Asia-Pacific in September 2024. He is scheduled to visit four countries, namely Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Singapore.

Indonesia is the first country to be visited on September 3-6, 2024. Earlier, Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II visited Indonesia in 1970 and 1989, respectively.

The trip to the Asia-Pacific region for 11 days, or precisely on September 3-13, 2024, will be his longest visit since 11 years of leading Catholics.