REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, CIREBON -- Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Sudirman Said observed the 15th Nusantara Day 2015 (Archipelago Day) at the Nusantara Kejawanan Fishery Port in Cirebon, West Java, on Monday.

"Archipelago Day is a reminder of the Juanda Declaration. Despite the short two years he served as prime minister, his legacy is extraordinary," the minister said.

According to Said, without the declaration, the sea zone within the Indonesian archipelago would have become international waters.

With the declaration, which was launched on December 13, 1957, there are no open seas around and within the islands of Indonesia.

"As the country is an island nation, all areas within are parts of it. It is a single entity," he emphasized.

In addition, the Juanda Declaration helped extend Indonesia's territory threefold as compared to its expanse before its initiation.

The launch of the event in Cirebon marked the opening of the main commemoration of Nusantara Day, which will be held in the port of Lampulo, Banda Aceh, on December 13.

Said added that the event celebrating the Juanda Declaration holds enormous value for Indonesia, especially in the maritime sector.

"This is also the right time to change people's mindset regarding living spaces and the struggles faced on land and in the seas so a balance can be created," he remarked.

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