During an event attended by leaders and youth representatives of Southeast Asian countries in the Philippines, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) urged the people to use social media for campaigning peace and tolerance.
The president further remarked that nearly all youth today spent most of their time in accessing social media. He said, in Indonesia alone, at least 44 million posts are published online in just one hour. Indonesia also has around 73 million active internet users and 72 million social media accounts,
He said social media currently has a powerful influence on all people across the globe. Hence, the significant number of internet users in Indonesia could actually help the country to advance its several sectors.
On a similar occasion, Jokowi also highlighted the importance of respecting differences among people. All youth in ASEAN countries need to promote unity and harmony despite all the differences in religions, ethnicities, as well as cultural backgrounds, he said.
Awareness about respecting differences remains crucial amid several stereotypes, hate speeches, and opinions being posted online. People of the earlier generation, listened to their parents, but now, most youth will look and believe any information posted online, he noted.
The 30th ASEAN Summit, held in the Philippines’ capital city of Manila on Apr 26-29, had agreed that civil service can function as a catalyst to realize the bloc’s community vision in 2025.
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