REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has expressed hope that the country's music would gain worldwide recognition. According to Jokowi, gaining worldwide recognition is viewed as an effort to welcome the commemoration of National Music Day on March 9, every year.

"We have to maintain the existence of national music and more, so that it can be recognized globally since life without music will be so bland," the president noted.

The head of state also expressed hope that with the first Indonesian Music Conference, held on March 7-9, 2018, in the eastern Indonesian city of Ambon, musicians will be able to formulate strategies to ensure that the popularity of Indonesian music continues to grow and be recognized in the global realm.

Indonesia celebrates National Music Day every March 9, which is known to coincide with the birthday of one of the national heroes, Wage Rudolf Soepratman, the composer of the national anthem of Indonesia Raya.

Similarly, Indonesian people are diverse but still always seek harmony, so President Jokowio noted that the nation's music is also a reflection of this. "Different tastes but still in harmony," President Jokowi stated as conveyed through Deputy Division Protocol, Press, and Media Secretariat Bey Machmudin.

Hence, he expressed hope that the nation's music will be preserved on National Music Day.

Similar to other fields, national music is also vulnerable to the influence of modern-day music from abroad.

Hence, it takes efforts to uphold the existence of national music in the midst of foreign influence that is more often not in accordance with the identity of the Indonesian nation.

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