President Prabowo honors elite flag-raising team after 81st Independence Day ceremony
President Prabowo Subianto thanked members of Indonesia's National Flag-Raising Team and other ceremony personnel for their service during the 81st Independence Day celebrations at Merdeka Palace, hosting them at his Hambalang residence.
Presidential gratitude for ceremonial service
President Prabowo Subianto expressed gratitude to members of Indonesia's National Flag-Raising Team, known as Paskibraka, for their dedication during the 81st Independence Day ceremony held at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on August 17.
Paskibraka, short for Pasukan Pengibar Bendera Pusaka (National Flag Hoisting Troop), is an elite youth organization consisting of selected high school students from across Indonesia's 34 provinces who undergo rigorous training to perform the ceremonial flag-raising duties. Members are chosen through a highly competitive selection process that tests physical fitness, marching skills, academic performance, leadership qualities, and knowledge of Indonesian history and culture.
The president conveyed his appreciation through a post on his official Instagram account Wednesday evening, praising the team for carrying out their ceremonial responsibilities during the national celebrations.
"Thank you for your dedication and service to the nation and state. You have carried out an honorable duty, raising the Red and White as a symbol of the nation's struggle, unity and sovereignty."
He urged the flag-raising team to carry the spirit of the national flag throughout their lives and continued service to Indonesia. "Continue to carry the spirit of the Red and White in every step you take and in your service to Indonesia," the president said.
Presidential gathering at Hambalang
Earlier on Wednesday, Prabowo invited all personnel involved in the 81st Independence Day ceremonies to his private residence in Hambalang, Bogor, West Java, where he hosted them and conveyed his thanks personally. The gathering included all flag-raising team members, ceremony commanders and officers, pilots and aerial-display teams, Army Special Forces parachutists, and performers involved in the August 17 celebrations.
Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, who attended the gathering, said Wednesday evening that Prabowo expressed his pride and personally thanked everyone involved in the ceremony. "President Prabowo met with ceremony personnel and conveyed his gratitude and pride to those involved in commemorating the 81st anniversary of Indonesia's independence on August 17," Teddy stated.
Several senior military officials also attended the Hambalang gathering, including Army Chief of Staff Gen. Maruli Simanjuntak, according to photographs released by the Cabinet Secretariat.
Historic significance of the celebrations
The Independence Day commemorations mark the proclamation of independence read by Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta at 10:00 AM on August 17, 1945, in Jakarta, declaring freedom from Dutch colonial rule following Japan's surrender in World War II. The 2026 celebrations carried the national theme "A Sovereign, Just and Prosperous Indonesia."
The ceremonies took place at Merdeka Palace, the primary venue for major state events in Indonesia. Originally built between 1873 and 1879 during Dutch colonial rule as the Paleis te Koningsplein, the palace served as the residence of Dutch governor-generals before being renamed Istana Merdeka (Freedom Palace) after independence.
Around 8,100 guests attended the official ceremony, with members of the public able to secure seats through an online ticket registration system. The celebrations featured an aerial display involving around 81 aircraft and helicopters, including F-16 and Sukhoi fighter jets, A400M military transport aircraft, and Indonesia's newly acquired Rafale fighter jets making their public debut.
The Independence Day celebrations at Merdeka Palace included the morning commemoration of the Proclamation of Independence, followed by the flag-lowering ceremony in the afternoon.