The Indonesian Catholic Journalists Association gives five people an appreciation award, including a scientist who worked on an anti-COVID vaccine, a singer opposed to extremism, a journalist and a general.
Jakarta (AsiaNews) – The Indonesian Catholic Journalists Association (PWKI[*]) gave appreciation awards to a scientist, a singer, a badminton player, an intelligence expert and a journalist for their work at home and abroad.
More than 160 Indonesian Catholic journalists and others attended the virtual ceremony, including the Indonesian ambassador to the Holy See, Laurentius Amrih Jinangkung, from Rome.
Carina Citra Dewi Joe is a scientist who helped develop the AstraZeneca vaccine at the University of Oxford. Accepting the award from the United Kingdom, she said she felt pride as an Indonesian abroad and spoke of the importance of scientific development:
“This appreciation award reflects how important science is,” she said. “Keeping global attention on vaccines is a key issue in our world to meet our current challenge, the COVID-19 pandemic,” she added.
Another award went to singer Cinta Laura Kiehl, daughter of a German father and an Indonesian mother. A youth idol, she has repeatedly spoken out against religious extremism and identity politics. The PWKI gave her the award for her support for the nation’s integrity.
Jonathan Christie, a Catholic, plays badminton. After the earthquake that devastated the Muslim majority island of Lombok in 2018, he financed the reconstruction of churches and mosques.
The last two awards went to an intelligence expert, General Abdullah Mahmud Hendropriyono (ret), who headed Indonesia's State Intelligence Agency (BIN[†]) and served as Jakarta Military commander in 1993-1994, and Pieter Gero, a Catholic journalist with Kompas, a daily newspaper, for his important contribution to the creation of PWKI.
[*] Paguyuban Wartawan Katolik Indonesia
[†] Badan Intelijen Nasional