New York, September 24, 2025 – The Europe Today: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, speaking at the opening of the general debate of the United Nations General Assembly’s 80th session on Tuesday, urged the international community to embrace unity and solidarity despite enduring divisions of race, religion, and nationality.
“We differ in race, religion, and nationality, yet we gather together as one human family,” President Prabowo declared from the UN podium.
He underscored the principle of equality, stressing that all people are created equal and endowed with unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Drawing inspiration from the ideals of the Declaration of Independence, he noted how these principles have inspired democratic movements across continents, including Indonesia’s own struggle for independence.
“All men are created equal” was the creed that opened the way to unprecedented global prosperity and dignity, the president said.
At the same time, Prabowo warned that a world overshadowed by fear, racism, hatred, oppression, and apartheid poses a grave threat to humanity’s shared future.
“In our own era of scientific and technological triumphs—an era capable of ending hunger, poverty, and environmental ruin—we also continue to face grave dangers, challenges, and uncertainties,” he emphasized.
Reflecting on Indonesia’s long history of colonization, the president delivered a personal message on how the suffering of the Indonesian people under oppression and slavery has shaped the nation’s outlook.
“My country knows this pain. For centuries, Indonesians lived under colonialism, oppression, and slavery. We were treated as less than dogs in our homeland. We Indonesians know what it means to be denied justice and equal opportunity, to live in apartheid and poverty,” he said.
Calling on UN member states to uphold the ideals of humanity, Prabowo urged the global community not to yield to pessimism. He emphasized the importance of reinforcing multilateralism and strengthening international institutions as the last bulwark against growing global uncertainties.
President Prabowo’s remarks followed addresses by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and U.S. President Donald Trump at the Assembly’s opening session.
Teddy Indra Wijaya, Minister of the Cabinet Secretariat, described the speech as a significant moment for Indonesia to reaffirm its active role on the global stage through the UN’s highest multilateral platform.
