Jakarta (ANTARA) - The commemoration of Indonesia's 75th year of independence on August 17 this year will be held at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, with certain limitations in place in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Minister of State Secretary Pratikno made the statement at a press conference on the commemoration of Indonesia's 75th Anniversary at the ministry's building in Jakarta, Monday.
"In connection with the August-17th commemoration ceremony at the Merdeka Palace, we confirm that it will be solemnly held, with a limited number of participants," he remarked in Jakarta on Monday.
Pratikno expounded that all components involved in the ceremony will be participating, including the essential National Flag Hoisting Team (Paskibraka), albeit only with a limited number of partaking members.
The cap on the number of participants does not limit the people from joining in the festivities. In accordance with the Circular Letter distributed, all Indonesians are expected to be actively involved in the ceremony, especially through the virtual medium.
"We will also introduce new traditions wherein during the course of the ceremony, when the national anthem Indonesia Raya is played, we urge all Indonesians to stop their activities for a while and stand tall and solemnly while following the anthem as it fills the air," he remarked.
Pratikno further echoed the government’s aspirations that Indonesians at all places, including markets, public places, villages, and those outside of the country, would stop their activities and sing along to the tunes of the national anthem.
Chief of the Presidential Secretariat, Heru Budi Hartono, noted that the president and first lady, the vice president and his wife, on-duty officials, commander of the National Military Force, and Chief of the National Police Force are among the high-ranking officials to be present during the ceremony.
Ministers and other figures are invited to participate in the virtual ceremony. In the meantime, with regard to the National Flag-Hoisting Team, three main participating members will be the flag raisers as well as their understudies from the 2019 reserve officers.
The government is not inviting the general public to the ceremony at the palace to prevent further transmission of COVID-19.
The commemoration of Indonesia's 75th Anniversary will be themed “Onward Indonesia” featuring a logo inspired by the shield on the Garuda Pancasila. The theme of Onward Indonesia is a representation of Pancasila as a guiding beacon to life as a nation.
Guidelines to the visual identity and logo can be downloaded through www.setneg.go.id.
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