Jakarta, Sept. 9 -- Indonesia's Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Taufik Hidayat has called for the National Sports Day (Haornas) celebration to be a momentum for strengthening unity through sports.

"Sports is not merely about competition and achievement, but also a powerful vehicle to foster national unity," he said during the 2025 National Sports Day summit at the Cibubur Youth Elite Sports Center in Jakarta on Tuesday.

This year's theme, "Sports Unite the Nation," is particularly relevant amid the social and political challenges facing the country, Hidayat noted.

He highlighted that sports instill values of sportsmanship, respect for opponents, and dignity in accepting results - principles that can be applied not only in daily life b...