PON Papua, symbol of common victory: Governor Enembe

The implementation of the 20th National Sports Week (PON) in Papua is a symbol of common victory for all Indonesians, Papua Governor Lukas Enembe said at the Lukas Enembe Stadium, Jayapura district, on Saturday night local time.

"With full of hope, I invite all of you, my friends. The PON XX Papua is a symbol of victory, our common victory. Welcome and let’s compete. ‘Torang bisa’ (We can)!" he remarked while making the welcoming speech at the opening ceremony of the national sporting event.

He also said that he will show that Papua will always be a part of Indonesia.

"From the land of Papua, I will show you, my friends from throughout Indonesia, that we, Papuans, will always be inseparable from Indonesia because ‘Merah Putih’ (the nation’s flag) is always engraved in our hearts and souls," he emphasized.

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The entire Papuan community feels proud to be the host of the PON, he said.

“It has been a pride for us, the residents of Papua, to witness all children from all over the nation to gather in this place,” he added.

The governor also thanked Indonesian President Joko Widodo – popularly known as Jokowi -- for supporting the implementation of the nation’s biggest sporting event in the province.

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He also thanked the athletes participating at the national games.

Several competitions of the event have been organized since September 22. Some are still in the preliminary round, while others have reached the final round.

Currently, the Jakarta contingent is at the top of the medal standings.

Besides Jayapura district, the PON games will also be co-hosted by Jayapura City, Mimika District and Merauke District. The event will close on October 15, 2021.

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