By Libertina Widyamurti Ambari
Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - A number of academics, media workers, students, and businessmen have declared Anti-Hoax Community Movement on the sidelines of a general discussion entitled Raising National Self-Esteem in the International Arena held by an online news website, Kata Indonesia, in Jakarta on Monday (Sept 24).

Editor in Chief of Kata Indonesia, Hafyz Marshal, said that this declaration was carried out in response to the circulation of hoaxes or fake news on social media.

This declaration is expected to be able to attract people to socialize positive news and not spread hoaxes on social media and in the community, he added.

Meanwhile, Bastian Zulyeno, a lecturer at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences from the University of Indonesia, remarked that in addition to counteracting hoaxes, people must also participate in promoting Indonesia`s potentials.

"People must be smart not only to counteract hoaxes but also to participate in promoting Indonesia`s potentials in order to get a positive response from the international community," the lecturer who is conducting a research on the relationship of Islam in Indonesia and Azerbaijan noted.

Related to the promotion of Indonesia abroad, the Indonesian Cultural Festival (ICF) organizer, Ade Munadi, explained that Indonesia was currently receiving world attention with the success of the event held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

"One way to deal with hoaxes and, at the same time, elevate the pride of Indonesian people is to organize events abroad that invite foreign communities, one of which is a cultural festival that has been known by the local people in Baku, Azerbaijan, as the `the Indonesian Cultural Festival`," Ade revealed.

The declaration of the Anti-Hoax Community Movement was also participated in by Azerbaijani students who will continue their masters degree at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB).

"I fell in love with Indonesia because this country is very safe. It can be seen from the very rapid infrastructure development carried out by the government at the moment. This makes me more determined to pursue a masters degree in Indonesia," an Azerbaijani student, Gulnar Babasesa, revealed.

The declaration of the Anti-Hoax Community Movement is expected to create a positive culture to support the government in protecting people from the negative impacts of hoaxes and elevating the dignity of the Indonesian people in the international arena.

Editing by Andi Abdussalam

Reporter: Libertina W. Ambari
Editor: Suharto
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