Jakarta, February 21, 2024, The Europe Today: Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi was awarded the prestigious Golden Medal for Press Freedom by the Association of Indonesian Journalists (PWI) during the National Press Day commemoration in Jakarta.
Chairman of PWI, Hendri C. H. Bangun, lauded Minister Marsudi’s exceptional contributions, referring to her as a “heroine of Indonesian diplomacy.” The accolade recognizes her steadfast efforts to champion press freedom and her influential role in elevating Indonesian diplomacy on the global stage.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry, in a statement released on Wednesday, highlighted Minister Marsudi’s commitment to fostering improvements in the quality of the Indonesian press. The PWI acknowledged her instrumental role in organizing the Adam Malik Awards (AMA), an annual ceremony hosted by the Foreign Affairs Ministry to commend outstanding journalism related to Indonesia’s foreign politics.
Furthermore, the PWI recognized Minister Marsudi’s global impact by actively addressing crucial issues, including championing Palestine’s causes and successfully leading Indonesia on the world stage as the host of the G20 and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
Deputy Minister Pahala Mansury accepted the Golden Medal on behalf of Minister Marsudi, who was en route to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to attend the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting after engaging in discussions with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Doha, Qatar.
In response to the honor, Minister Marsudi expressed genuine appreciation for the Golden Medal, expressing her desire to share the recognition with the entire team at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The PWI also bestowed the Golden Medal for Press Freedom upon several other distinguished national figures, including the 6th President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, former Chief of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), Djoko Santoso, and the late former head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), Doni Monardo.
The awards ceremony at the National Press Day serves as a testament to the vital role played by individuals in various fields who contribute to the advancement of press freedom and quality journalism in Indonesia.
