Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, Nadiem Anwar, left the ship of the Republic of Indonesia (KRI) on Wednesday Dewaruciwhich will cross the historic spice route of the archipelago with the participants of the Cultural Goodwill of the Spice Route 2022.

Makarim and Deputy Navy Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Ahmadi Heri Purwono released the vessel at Fleet Command Pier II in Surabaya, East Java on Wednesday.

“Today, ladies and gentlemen, we made a historic moment. The departure of Kri Dewaruciwhich transports the “troops” of the Spice Route, coincides with the commemoration of Pancasila Day,” Makarim remarked.

Kri Dewaruci will sail to Makassar, then Baubau and Buton, Ternate and Tidore, continue to Banda Neira, Kupang, and return to Surabaya on July 2, 2022.

“The Spice Route and Pancasila are important milestones in our nation’s history,” Makarim said.

The spice route centered on the archipelago has played an important role in encouraging the progress of world civilization, he added.

“For more than a thousand years, long before the arrival of Europeans, sailors, merchants and scholars from different parts of the world interacted (here) and (this) resulted in the cultural diversity that later became the heart of the strength of our nation,” he explained.

The Pancasila ideology was born from a land with cultural diversity, he noted. Pancasila was not created, but was “dug” from Indonesian soil, he added.

“Pancasila is a national philosophy that unites us in diversity,” he said.

The Spice Route Cultural Goodwill Activity was organized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology in collaboration with the Indonesian Navy, local governments and several cultural communities.

The activity should be a form of cultural diplomacy to strengthen Indonesia’s position as a global maritime hub, Makarim noted.

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