Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi, as the UNSC president for May 2019, led the meeting.
The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres was seen wearing woven fabric bearing bright Troso motif.
Batik was the evident dress code for the UNSC meeting as a mark of respect to Indonesia that holds presidency of the Council in May 2019.
The different batik clothing that the Security Council delegates wore during the Tuesday session were part of their personal collections.
The delegations collected the batik handed out by Indonesian diplomats or when they became chairpersons of delegations at conferences in Indonesia. Some even chose to purchase batik clothing during a visit to Indonesia.
In addition to Guterres, delegates from the United States, Germany, Ivory Coast, France, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and China, appeared in batik clothing at the meeting.
"It is very pleasing to see today's meeting appearing so vibrant, with most UNSC delegates wearing batik, including the UN secretary general, who has worn Balinese woven cloth," Marsudi remarked.
The predominant presence of batik at the UNSC meeting is expected to boost the popularity of Indonesia's traditional clothing that has gained UNESCO's recognition as the world's intangible cultural heritage.
The UNSC Open Debate, themed "Investing in Peace," was held to constantly foster the capacity building of peacekeeping forces in various UN missions worldwide. The meeting is one of Indonesia's priority agenda during its membership in the UNSC for the 2019-2020 period.
Translator: Yuni AS, Sri Haryati
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
