PON 2024 Event: President Jokowi’s Commitment to Realizing National Unity and Effectively Increasing Sports Achievements
By: Teuku Ibrahim
The 2024 National Sports Week (PON) which will be held in Aceh and North Sumatra and opened by President Jokowi is a multi-sport event that not only aims to test the abilities of athletes from all over Indonesia, but also as a symbol of national unity.
PON XXI Aceh-Sumut is one of the biggest sporting events in Indonesia, where thousands of athletes from various regions will compete in various sports. However, this event is not just about matches, medals, or records, but also an important platform to strengthen national ties and foster national sporting achievements.
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) emphasized that PON XXI Aceh-North Sumatra is not just a sports competition. He sees this event as an important means to produce high-achieving athletes while strengthening national unity and brotherhood.
With the diversity of ethnicities, languages, and cultures in Indonesia, the National Sports Week is a moment where all these differences can be bridged through the spirit of sportsmanship and pride as one nation.
PON 2024 is expected to be an important momentum in reminding us that Indonesia is a solid unity, where sports act as a glue between citizens.
In addition to being a unifying event, PON XXI Aceh-Sumut is also expected to be a tool to improve national sports achievements. Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora), Dito Ariotedjo, expressed his hope that this PON can encourage an increase in the quality of athletes and bring Indonesian sports to a higher level.
The Minister of Youth and Sports sees great potential in PON as a means to find and hone new talents who can compete at the international level. This national multi-sport event is also expected to motivate athletes to continue to strive to achieve the highest achievements, not only at the national level but also globally.
The important role of PON 2024 in improving sports achievements was also recognized by the General Chairperson of the Central Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI), Lieutenant General TNI (ret.) Marciano Norman. According to him, the implementation of PON XXI Aceh-North Sumatra must be used as a momentum to foster national unity and integrity while advancing national sports.
The Head of KONI Pusat saw that this event was not only a competition event, but also an opportunity to measure the development of sports in various regions. With the PON, regions will compete to improve the quality of sports facilities and training, which will ultimately have an impact on increasing national achievements.
In addition, the holding of PON XXI Aceh-Sumut has a positive impact on infrastructure and economic development in the host region. The holding of this largest sporting event not only adds to the excitement in the provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra, but also opens up opportunities for investment and development of sports facilities that will benefit the local community in the future.
In terms of economy, this event has a significant impact, especially in the tourism and service sectors. Thousands of athletes, officials, and spectators who come from various regions will provide economic stimulus for the host region, through increasing hotel occupancy, food consumption, and transactions in various trade sectors.
The National Sports Week is also an important stage for young athletes to showcase their abilities. PON 2024 will bring together talented athletes from Sabang to Merauke, giving them the opportunity to compete and develop in a healthy competitive atmosphere.
With the increasingly tight competition in international events, regeneration of athletes who are ready to compete at a higher level is needed. Through PON, Indonesia is expected to be able to find superior seeds who can later bring the good name of the nation in regional and global events such as the SEA Games, Asian Games, and the Olympics.
Meanwhile, the spirit of unity and sportsmanship carried out in PON XXI Aceh-Sumut is also expected to be an example for the wider community. Amidst the challenges of differences that exist in various regions, PON is a reflection of how these differences can be united in one common goal, namely to make the nation proud through sports achievements.
Therefore, PON 2024 must be interpreted as more than just a competition. This is an effort to unite all elements of the nation under the Red and White banner, where the spirit of brotherhood and healthy competition are the main foundations.
The holding of this major national multi-sport event also provides many important lessons for the development of national character. Athletes competing in PON XXI Aceh-Sumut are not only expected to win, but also to uphold the values of fair play, discipline, and integrity.
These values do not only apply to athletes, but must also be an example for society. By upholding sportsmanship, Indonesia is expected to be able to show the world that this nation is solid, competitive, and highly competitive.
Thus, PON 2024 is not just an ordinary national sporting event. Through the implementation of PON XXI Aceh-North Sumatra, it is hoped that national unity and pride can be created, as well as improving the quality of sports that are able to compete in the international arena.
Sports, as a tool to unite the nation, has great power to unite people from various backgrounds, and the National Sports Week is real proof of how this can be realized in a grand event full of the spirit of competition and togetherness.
*) Social Problems Researcher – Nusantara Social Studies Institute
