The 310-member Indonesian delegation to the upcoming World Youth Day (WYD), which will be held August 16-21 in Madrid, Spain, will show the national cultures at the event.

“Our group will present the Indonesian arts at the international festival. We will show batik (traditional painted and patterned cloth) and traditional dances and songs as well,” said Father Yohanes Dwi Harsanto, executive secretary of the bishops’ Commission for Youth, yesterday.

Referring to the program’s theme “Planted and Built Up in Jesus Christ, Firm in the Faith,” he said the Indonesian delegation will emphasize the country’s special character of catechesis taking root in Jesus Christ and being instilled into the minds of young Catholics.

“In short, they should internally rely on Jesus Christ and externally materialize the Pancasila (five principles),” he added.

The national ideology of Pancasila, enshrined in the preamble to the 1945 constitution, stresses belief in one God, a just and civilized society, a united Indonesia, democracy guided by consensus, and social justice for all.

Prior to the program the Indonesian delegation including two bishops and 19 priests attended retreats and a preparation meeting aiming to help them shift their paradigm on the program. “Many young Catholics still hold to a paradigm that says the program is a chance to go on vacation. This is wrong,” he asserted.

He also hoped the program will strengthen young Catholics’ faith and nationalism.

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