Indonesian ambassador officially inaugurates Azerbaijan Pencak Silat Community

Pencak Silat, Indonesia’s indigenous martial art and an intangible cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO, continues to promote diplomatic relations and foster cross-cultural understanding between Indonesia and Azerbaijan. Berlian Helmy, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Indonesia to the Republic of Azerbaijan, has officially inaugurated the Azerbaijan Pencak Silat Community (APSC).

Through this inauguration, the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Baku officially recognizes and supports the Community as the sole body authorized to organize and oversee Pencak Silat activities in Azerbaijan. This step is expected to encourage support from the relevant Azerbaijani authorities and ministries, with the aim of strengthening the sport’s legal status and developing its domestic ecosystem.

The official signing ceremony was held in Baku and attended by Indonesian diplomats, representatives of the sports community, and Azerbaijani journalists. The ceremony began with the national anthems of both countries, followed by remarks from Magami Bayramov, President of the Azerbaijan Pencak Silat Community, and an address by Ambassador Berlian Helmy.

In his remarks, Ambassador Berlian Helmy emphasized that Pencak Silat has long been practiced as an international martial art and is featured in competitions involving numerous countries. In light of its growing international recognition, he expressed hope that the Azerbaijan Pencak Silat Community would soon prepare and send its top athletes to compete at the 21st World Pencak Silat Championship, scheduled to take place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on December 5–12.

Magami Bayramov expressed his appreciation to the Indonesian Embassy for this important recognition. He voiced optimism that the official recognition would further motivate Azerbaijani athletes to promote and develop the sport in Azerbaijan while preparing to compete at the World Championship in Uzbekistan.

The ceremony concluded with the organizing committee reading the official inauguration document, which was then signed by the Indonesian ambassador. The event ended with a group photo featuring the Community’s board members.