"Hopefully, with the trust that has been given to us, the festival in Singkawang can run well and smoothly," the acting mayor of Singkawang, Sumastro, said during the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the festival's implementation here on Thursday.
The MoU signing was carried out by the Singakawang city government, the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), the Presidential Staff Office (KSP), and the International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID).
According to the mayor, tolerance remains the "way of life" of the city.
"Respecting human rights is our way of life and we will preserve it," he said.
On the same occasion, Chief of the Presidential Staff (KSP) Moeldoko said KSP fully supports the Festival HAM agenda.
"This aligns with the President's view that all development (central and regional) must prioritize human rights issues," he added.
Singkawang City was chosen as the host of this year's National Human Rights Festival because of its positive scores on human rights issues, he informed.
He said the festival will contribute positively to the city's citizens and motivate other regions to emulate Singkawang's efforts to protect human rights.
Head of Komnas HAM Atnike Nova Sigiro said the 7th Festival HAM in Singkawang will coincide with the 31st anniversary of Komnas HAM.
According to her, through the festival, Komnas HAM wants to show the public that the rights body not only conducts investigations into human rights violations, but also strives for the advancement and fulfillment of human rights, especially from local governments.
"The Singkawang city has been chosen because of its lively tolerance," she said.
She expressed the hope that Singkawang city will serve a model for tolerance and human rights fulfillment for other regions.
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Translator: Rendra O, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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