President Joko Widodo and First Lady Iriana Joko Widodo attended the 2024 National Children’s Day commemoration at Istora Papua Bangkit, Jayapura City, Papua Province on Tuesday (23/7/2024). As monitored by Kompas.com from the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube live broadcast, the Head of State and First Lady arrived at the event location at around 06.30 WIB or 08.30 WIT. When attending the event, the President and First Lady appeared to wear a typical Papuan tasselled hat. The President also wore a noken or woven bag from Papua slung over his shoulder.
The theme of the 40th National Children’s Day is ‘Protected Children, Advanced Indonesia’. Around 8,000 participants, 6000 of whom were elementary school students, attended the event. The first National Children’s Day was held in 1983.
The President and First Lady Iriana walked into the venue accompanied by music and applause from the children. The children were dressed in elementary, junior high, and traditional clothes. Also present were Vice President Wury Ma’ruf Amin, Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, and Minister of Investment Bahlil Lahadalia. After arriving at the venue, the President, First Lady, Mrs Wury and the ministers greeted the children. The President and First Lady waved to the children.
The series of activities marking National Children’s Day included conveying of aspirations to the President, granting of scholarships, demonstrations of learning methods by Papuan children. There were also parades, marching bands, and a colossal dance performance by 2,000 Papuan children that is planned to break the Indonesian World Records Museum (MURI) record. The celebration is part of the President’s working visit to Papua. The location was chosen so that the excitement of the Children’s Day celebrations can also be experienced by children in remote and outermost areas.
West Papua Now 