Though crowded as usual, Jakarta’s Car Free Day (CFD) event on Jl. Jenderal Sudirman and Jl. HR Thamrin on Sunday offered more than a change of pace as a large group of people marched through the capital in what was to become the inaugural Solidarity with Palestine walk.

Leading the way was Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi and her Palestinian counterpart, Riyad al-Maliki, who spent the 1.2-kilometer “fun walk” talking about, among other things, what the weekly event symbolized.

“[Al-Maliki] asked me what the CFD was and why so many people showed up for the event,” Retno told reporters. “I showed him that the CFD was a way for Indonesians [to feel] unity in diversity, as all kinds of people flock to the streets.”

Together with interfaith leaders and the chairman of the House of Representatives’ Commission I on foreign affairs, Abdul Kharis Almasyhari, as well as hundreds of other people, the ministers traversed the entire route from the Bank Mandiri office to the Welcome Monument at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle.

The event, officially dubbed the Walk for Peace and Humanity, was part of Indonesian Solidarity Week for Palestine hosted by the Foreign Ministry from Saturday to Wednesday, which coincides with the Palestinian top diplomat’s visit to Indonesia.

Retno said the series of events was a show of support for Palestine.

“We will [...] hold many activities to reflect our strong and consistent support for Palestinians,” she said. “Indonesian diplomacy is always at the forefront whenever there is a discussion on Palestine.”

Al-Maliki responded with great appreciation for the solidarity of the Indonesian people, saying he would bring back this message of support to his people.

“We have always felt enormous support from Indonesia at the level of the people and government. This morning, we witnessed it and took part in it.”

Jakarta is throwing more support behind Palestine as it prepares to join the United Nations Security Council next year, with a commitment to ensuring a two-state solution to the decades-old question at the heart of the Middle East.

Al-Maliki and Retno would discuss how Indonesia could help Palestine during their upcoming meeting but said he felt the issue would be placed “in good hands”.

“Indonesia will represent not only its own voice but also that of Palestine and other countries that don’t have a voice,” he said.

Palestine has faced an uphill battle for legitimacy this year, following the radical policy shift of the United States in recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the slashing of US funds to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which provides a lifeline for 5.3 million Palestinian refugees.

Indonesia has already doubled its contribution to the UNRWA to US$200,000 this year in the hope of alleviating Palestine’s burden, and is expected to announce more support in the coming days.

Solidarity Week will feature activities involving the Indonesian government, UNRWA, humanitarian NGOs, community leaders and a handful of civil society groups.

On Saturday, the foreign ministers, alongside Bandung Mayor Oded M. Danial, kicked off the events by inaugurating Palestine Walk: Road to Freedom, an 80-meter stretch of road by Bandung’s Alun-Alun Square that serves as a token of support for Palestinian statehood.

On Monday, Al-Maliki will give a public lecture at the University of Indonesia (UI) in Depok, West Java, where he is to provide context for the Palestinian struggle for independence. There will also be a meeting with members of the government, UNWRA and Dato’ Sri Tahir, chairman of the Tahir Foundation.

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