“Let’s realize the goal of having at least one public sports facility in every sub-district, so that sports truly belong to all layers of society,” Hidayat said during the summit event of the 42nd National Sports Day (Haornas) celebration at the Cibubur Youth Elite Sports Center on Tuesday.
Indonesian badminton legend Hidayat stressed that access to sports infrastructure plays a critical role in nurturing talent, noting that many accomplished athletes begin their journeys in community spaces.
The Athens Games gold medallist urged regional governments and sports stakeholders to take concrete steps to accelerate sports development nationwide.
Beyond public facilities, he also highlighted the importance of strengthening sports science and physical education by equipping every school with proper sports infrastructure.
“Children need safe spaces to play, run, and exercise. From there, a new generation of healthy individuals and future athletes will grow to lead the nation,” he said.
He called for cross-sector collaboration, stating that sports development is a shared responsibility.
“Let’s collaborate across sectors. Sports is not the responsibility of one party, but a collective effort involving all elements of the nation,” he added.
The 2025 Haornas summit drew over two thousand participants, including athletes, coaches, sports federation officials, and representatives from various institutions.
This year’s celebration carried the tagline *“Sports Unite Us”*, underscoring the role of sports in fostering national unity and social cohesion.
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Translator: Aloysius, Kenzu
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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