REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The 5th President of Indonesia, Megawati Soekarnoputri, introduced the ideology of Pancasila to the public of St. Petersburg, Russia and Samarkand, Azerbaijan.

Megawati will give a public lecture and attend a rectors' forum in St. Petersburg, then receive an honorary doctorate from Silk Road University in Samarkand, according to Deputy Chairman of Indonesia's People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Ahmad Basarah, who is close to her.

"She will utilize this momentum to promote the ideology of Pancasila to the world," Basarah, who is currently in St. Petersburg accompanying Megawati, said in a statement on Sunday.

After arriving in St. Petersburg on Saturday (Sept 14), Megawati will attend several activities in the next few days.

"In St. Petersburg, Mrs. Megawati will meet the Governor of St. Petersburg, then give a public lecture on the historic campus of St. Petersburg University as well as attend a prestigious rectors' forum meeting," Basarah noted.

The meetings, according to him, further confirm an international recognition for Megawati, who currently plays a significant role as the Chair of the Steering Committee of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) as well as Chair of the Steering Committee of the Pancasila Ideology Development Agency (BPIP).

The recognition for Megawati had actually been given by Russia in 2021, when Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded the Order of Friendship to Megawati Soekarnoputri on June 2, 2021.

The Order of Friendship was awarded by the Russian government to Megawati for her contribution to strengthening relations between Russia and Indonesia.

After completing her activities in Russia, Megawati is scheduled to continue her journey to Samarkand, Azerbaijan.

In Samarkand, the only female president of Indonesia will make a pilgrimage to the tomb of Imam Al-Bukhari and receive an honorary doctorate from Silk Road University on September 21, 2024.

"This visit continues the strong historical relationship that is always remembered by the people of both countries, considering that the 1st President Soekarno (Megawati's father) was the initiator of the restoration of the tomb of Imam Al-Bukhari," Basarah explained.

Even though the flight to St. Petersburg and Samarkand were quite long, he assessed that Megawati was enthusiastic about accepting the invitation from several institutions in Russia and Azerbaijan.

"From my conversation with Mrs. Megawati, I got the impression that she was enthusiastic about visiting St. Petersburg and Samarkand," Basarah concluded.

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