Ambassadors from around the world participated in a friendly sporting exchange on Sunday morning, while sharing each other’s concerns on topics ranging from raising their children to regional peace.

The discussions took place during a diplomatic fun walk held by the Foreign Ministry, Youth and Sports Ministry and the Indonesian Asian Games Organizing Committee, ahead of the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang.

Despite a gloomy sky hanging above the city as rain occasionally poured down, dozens of ambassadors put on bright smiles while waiting for the start of the event at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.

The fun walk also turned into a reunion as hundreds of Indonesian envoys to other countries and various world organizations also took part in the event.

The envoys were summoned to attend a special meeting with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi from Monday to Thursday.

Indonesian Ambassador to India Sidharto R. Suryodipuro, for example, said the event was a nice occasion in which he and other ambassadors, who had not seen each other for a long time because of their overseas postings, shared stories about their children.

“We started our careers together when we were still single. Now, we talk about our children who are soon to graduate from college or have kids,” said Sidharto, adding that they started their diplomatic careers together some 25 years ago.

Nonetheless, he added, they also talked about serious matters regarding the countries they were assigned to, such as India’s increasing import tax on vegetable oils.

“India is our largest market for crude palm oil and it is still growing,” said Sidharto. “However, we face a challenge given the increasing import tariffs on vegetable oils, not only on crude palm oil.”

India, he said, is entering an election year, in which vegetable oil import tariffs could be used as a political instrument.

The tariff now stands at 30 percent, he said, and was a topic of discussion between Jokowi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January.

Separately, Umar Hadi, Indonesian Ambassador to South Korea, said he and other participants talked about the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, particularly regarding the reconciliation attempts between North and South Korea.

On Friday, North and South Korea marched together under the hanbando, a unified peninsula flag, while wearing white winter jackets and black trousers. They even had a unified women’s hockey team playing at the games.

Meanwhile, European Union Ambassador to Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam Vincent Guérend said he had discussed the Criminal Code bill with other ambassadors.

The bill will expand the definition of adultery, in which it will potentially criminalize those engaging in pre-marital sex, as well as same-sex relationships.

“I hope that there will be a right balance found between ensuring security and having good laws that preserve the rights of everyone,” said Guérend.

“This is what diplomacy is all about, bringing people together in a friendly and constructive way. I wish Indonesia all success in organizing the Asian games,” he added.

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