ISLAMABAD: Despite rain, the spirit of Indonesian Independence Day shone brightly as over 300 Indonesian nationals and their families gathered at the Indonesian Embassy in Islamabad this morning. The event, part of the pre-celebrations for Indonesia’s 79th Independence Day on August 17, 2024, showcased vibrant traditions and deep cultural roots, even under the gloomy skies.
Mr. Ferry J. Murdiansyah, the Chief of the Indonesian Embassy’s Committee for Independence Day 2024, expressed his gratitude in his opening remarks. “Thank you for coming to all Indonesian nationals from Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujrat, Sialkot, Faisalabad, and Abbottabad,” he said. He acknowledged the efforts of coordinators who have been instrumental in ensuring the safety and engagement of the Indonesian community in Pakistan.
The pre-event is marked by great festivity. A highly anticipated, joyful aspect of the Independence Day celebration is the indispensable tradition of the sports events and fun games that take place nationwide and across the globe supported by the Indonesian missions abroad. In Islamabad, the pre-event begins with a fun walk at the Diplomatic Enclave. All participants wear a T-Shirt in national fervor and a spirit of red and white representing the colors of the Indonesian flag. Regardless of age, there are fun activities for everyone.
Covering a distance of 3 kilometers the fun walk finished back at the Embassy where the participants were greeted by refreshments and surprise gifts. Later, various games described as ‘Lomba 17an’ in the Indonesian language got underway featuring hotly contested several events such as badminton, table tennis, volleyball, and futsal.
The Indonesian traditional popular games like Tug of War (Tarik Tambang), Wooden Clog Race (Lomba Bakiak), Sack Race (Balap Karung), Spoon-Marble Race (Lomba Kelereng), and coloring competitions for the kids were special features of the day.
These games highlight the playful and amusing nature of the celebrations not only greatly entertaining the participants and spectators but showcasing Indonesia’s rich cultural heritage as well. Apart from physical activity and amusement, sports and fun games essentially symbolize the spirit of unity, friendship, and collaboration among Indonesian nationals.
“With the fun walk under the rain, we are expected to feel the hard struggle of our nation’s founding fathers and mothers to reach independence for us. However, independence is not the end of our journey. As the first Indonesian President Sukarno declared that independence is the golden bridge towards justice and prosperity,” explained Chargé d’Affaires Rahmat Hindiarta Kusuma.
Moreover, the Indonesian Chargé d’Affaires while introducing Indonesia’s 79th Independence Day Logo and Theme, “New Nusantara, Advanced Indonesia”, he further illustrated the momentous transition and the ambitious project of shifting the Indonesian capital city and administrative heart from the bustling city of Jakarta to Nusantara City which is greener and sustainable. “Nusantara is conceptualized and designed to be more than just a new capital city but it essentially represents a long-term vision for the nation,” he concluded.
“For sure, I am very happy. Meeting with my Indonesian friends and having traditional meals together are such blessings for me,” said Muna, an Indonesian national married to a Pakistani national from Kasur, Punjab. “I am coming to the Embassy not alone, but along with my Pakistani families. We really enjoyed the event,” added Andalusia from Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
To spice up the event, the special food stalls were set up by the Indonesian students, offering a choice of Indonesian popular scrumptious dishes such as Rendang (spicy meat dish), Nasi Goreng (fried rice), Nasi Padang (steamed rice served with various dishes), Mei Goreng (fried noodles) and Soto or the traditional soups, and much more.
The Indonesian Embassy highly appreciates the support and participation of Omar Travel, Super Crown Travel, Destiny Holiday Planners, A2Z Travel Solutions, Marwa Travel and Shelozon MPL, Al-Zohra Travel & Tours, OZ Travel & Tours, Akhtar Travel & Tours, and Crown International Travel, that make the pre-event possible.
Following the pre-event, the Indonesian Embassy is currently preparing the Indonesian Expo 2024 at the Centaurus Mall on 16-18 August 2024 and the Flag Hoisting Ceremony at the Embassy’s premises on 17 August 2024 as the core event to celebrate the Independence Day.
