REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BANDA ACEH -- Hundreds of traditional fishing boats enlivened the commemoration of the Nusantara (Archipelago) Day at the Samudra Lampulo harbor, here, Sunday.
The fishing boats were decorated with Indonesian "Red and White" and other colorful flags as well as banners that read "Indonesia's Charm".
Vice President M Yusuf Kalla and a number of ministers observed the Nusantara Day which is commemorated every December 13.
Members of the vice president's entourage included Research, Technology and Higher Education Minister M Nasir, Agrarian and Spatial Planning Minister Ferry Mursyidan Baldan, National Development Planning Minister Sofyan Djalil, and Tourism Minister Arief Yahya.
Also present in the function were Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said and Maritime Affairs and Fishery Minister Suri Pudjiastuti.
The Nusantara Day was based on the Djuanda Declaration of Dec. 13, 1957 which marked the beginning of Indonesia being acknowledged as an archipelagic state.
The declaration, named after Prime Minister Djuanda Kartawidjaja, states that waters between Indonesian islands should also be regarded as Indonesian territorial waters instead of the traditional 12-mile delimitation.
In 1982, the principle was internationally acknowledged through the United Nations Convention on The Law of The Sea (UNCLOS).
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