Indonesia's Satria Muda Takes Pencak Silat Diplomacy Mission to Portugal

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Satria Muda Indonesia, or SMI, will bring a pencak silat diplomacy mission to Portugal. The delegation is scheduled to depart on Monday, September 14, and will remain in Portugal until October 3.

The mission is an invitation from the Indonesian Embassy in Lisbon as part of the 81st anniversary of the Indonesian Independence. SMI will perform pencak silat while introducing Indonesia's traditional martial art.

Seven athletes or performers will join the delegation. They consist of three male and four female athletes, some of whom are still in school or university.

The delegation will also be accompanied by three coaches and one SMI official. The athletes will showcase various elements of pencak silat, ranging from solo, doubles, to team performances.

The first performance is scheduled to take place at the embassy on September 16. The event will also be attended by representatives from several embassies as part of a cultural diplomacy agenda.

SMI Deputy Chairman III Tedy Sofiady said pencak silat would be introduced as a sport. “We will introduce pencak silat further, with priority given to its sporting aspect,” he said in a discussion with Pro 3 RRI on Sunday, September 13, 2026.

In addition to performing at the embassy, SMI will visit several schools and universities in Portugal. The activities are expected to broaden Portuguese young people's understanding of Indonesian pencak silat.

SMI also plans to perform pencak silat in Porto, one of Portugal's well-known tourist cities. The performance is expected to attract tourists' attention and further introduce Indonesian pencak silat.

Tedy said European communities have shown enthusiasm for pencak silat. Several countries, including Spain, the Netherlands, and Belgium, also regularly hold pencak silat activities.

According to Tedy, pencak silat is unique because it combines elements of sport, art, tradition, and martial arts. Therefore, SMI wants to introduce pencak silat more widely to the people of Portugal.

The mission to Portugal, Tedy continued, is also expected to become an initial step in developing SMI in Europe. SMI hopes to build training networks and introduce pencak silat on a sustainable basis.

The plan has received support from the embassy, which already has pencak silat practitioners. In fact, two pencak silat training units are already operating in Portugal.

SMI considers introducing pencak silat abroad important for supporting the sport's development. The initiative is also part of efforts to help the Indonesian Pencak Silat Association (IPSI) bring pencak silat to the Olympics.

In addition to promotional activities, SMI is open to participating in small competitions with the Portuguese pencak silat community. The activities are expected to serve as a means of introducing pencak silat as a competitive sport.

SMI ensured that all athletes had undergone technical preparations before departure. They were also asked to maintain their health, get enough rest, and remain focused throughout the agenda.

The series of activities in Portugal is expected not to stop as cultural performances alone. SMI is targeting the establishment of a training community that can develop pencak silat sustainably in Portugal. (Diffa Sephiawardhani)