Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) has emphasized the importance of early prevention to build resilience among the younger generation against ideologies promoting violence.
During the Cultural Showcase Competition at Warmadewa University in Denpasar, Bali, on Tuesday, chief of the BNPT, Commissioner General Eddy Hartono, said that the spread of violent ideologies can be checked through mitigation, education, and literacy on the dangers of radical terrorism.
One such effort is the cultural competition at the university, themed “Nusantara Voice of Peace (SUDARA),” he added.
“SUDARA serves as a platform for young people to showcase creativity, sportsmanship, and the spirit of nation-building through cultural stage,” he said when contacted from here on Friday.
The BNPT, in collaboration with the Forum for the Prevention of Terrorism (FKPT) of Bali province, organized the Cultural Showcase Competition to strengthen the resilience of junior and senior high school students against the influence of violent ideologies and radicalism.
Hartono highlighted that the activity was part of efforts to involve the younger generation as the front line in preventing the spread of radical terror ideologies.
He also underscored the need to hold similar activities in the future so that Bali’s local wisdom continues to thrive and becomes a part of the terror prevention strategy.
“It is expected that this activity can be held regularly each year so that local wisdom, especially in Bali, continues to grow and develop as part of efforts to counter radical terrorism, not only in Bali but also throughout Indonesia,” he said.
Meanwhile, Warmadewa University rector Prof. I Gde Suranaya Pandit expressed his appreciation for BNPT’s involvement in providing a positive educational space for young students.
He stressed that the threat of radicalism and terrorism is not only physical but also targets the national values that are the foundation of Indonesian identity.
