Speaking at the US-RI business forum here Friday morning, Pence said he felt honored to be in Indonesia at a time when all women in the country were commemorating the Kartini Day, which falls on April 21 every year.
Without her struggle in the past, the Indonesian women would not have achieved better education or roles and enjoyed the principle of equality today, he noted.
Pence also requested Indonesian foreign minister Retno Marsudi, who was attending the forum, to stand up to receive applause from the participants.
Marsudi, he remarked, had made all Indonesian women proud, and he was waiting for her visit to Washington DC in the coming weeks.
Besides showing his respect to the foreign minister, Pence also honored Mari Elka Pangestu, former Indonesian Tourism and Creative Economic Minister, and Shinta Widjaja Kamdani, Head of the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo)s International Cooperation Division.
The women who have gained success in their personal and public lives not only inspire Indonesia but also the world, he maintained.
The US vice president ended his three-day visit to Indonesia, Friday, and is scheduled to continue his Asia-Pacific tour with a weekend visit to Australia.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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