"Therefore, everyone who appears will wear clothes that showcase Indonesia's cultural diversity," said the head of NOC, Indonesia Raja Sapta Oktohari, in Jakarta on Friday.
"This includes me, as the head of NOC, who will wear Bali clothes, much like our flag bearer," he added.
According to Oktohari, the choice of Bali traditional clothes is intended to serve as a reminder that Indonesia will host the Bali ANOC World Beach Games (AWBG) from August 5–12, 2023.
"In August, we will become the host of the World Beach Games. That is an activity that will be a legacy for Indonesia,” he said.
Oktohari added that culture and diversity have become important values for Indonesia as a nation.
"Indonesia, with our diversity, made us a strong nation. We are the biggest country in Southeast Asia. We show kinship, solidarity, and culture," he said.
"We also support friendship in Southeast Asia, and we hope that this will improve kinship and encourage our sporting achievements," he added.
Kinship can be built through various means, including culture and sports, he said.
He further said that the first SEA Games in Cambodia should be lauded given the effort that the country has made in organizing them.
The results of Cambodia's efforts, which have included making spectating inexpensive, also show that it is capable of hosting the SEA Games, if given the chance, he added.
The opening ceremony of the SEA Games will be held at Morodok Techo National Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Friday evening.
More than 11 thousand athletes, coaches, and delegations from 11 countries in Southeast Asia will participate in the Cambodian edition of the games and compete for medals in 36 featured sports branches.
Indonesian female swimmer Flairene Candrea Wonomiharjo will lead the Indonesian contingent by bringing the national flag at the opening ceremony.
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Translator: Arnidhya Nur Z, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Anton Santoso
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