Commemorating Heroes' Day, the President Leads the National Pilgrimage Ceremony at TMPNU Kalibata

JAKARTA (10 November 2023) - President Joko Widodo led a national pilgrimage ceremony to commemorate Heroes' Day 2023 at Kalibata Main National Heroes' Cemetery (TMPNU), South Jakarta, Friday (10/11).

The ceremony started at around 08.10 a.m., marked by the entry of President Joko Widodo and Vice President Ma'ruf Amin into the TMPNU area.  Meanwhile, at 08.15 a.m., a moment of silence was held for 60 seconds to commemorate the services of the heroes.

The Heroes' Day commemoration ceremony was attended by Ministers of the Onward Indonesian Cabinet and leaders of high state institutions.

In a series of solemn ceremonies, the President, who was the ceremony inspector, laid a wreath as a sign of respect for the heroes' spirits.  Together with Vice President Ma'ruf, President Joko Widodo also scattered flowers at several heroes' graves, such as the grave of Ani Yudhoyono, BJ.  Habibie, Ainun Habibie, Sudharmono, Umar Wirahadikusumo, Adam Malik, General Ahmad Yani, Revolutionary Heroes, and Unknown Heroes.

Meanwhile, on the same occasion, Minister of Social Affairs, Tri Rismaharini, was assigned to lead a flower-sowing ceremony at sea for Heroes' Day 2023 from KRI RWJ-992 at Tanjung Priok Military Seaborne Command (Kolinlamil), North Jakarta.

2023 National Hero Award

On the commemoration of Heroes' Day, November 10, 2023, the government, through a proposal from the Ministry of Social Affairs, awarded the title of national hero to six figures.  The list of six figures has been approved by President Joko Widodo to be given an award at the State Palace Building, Central Jakarta, after the national pilgrimage ceremony, on Friday (10/11).

The six figures who received the 2023 National Hero Title are Ida Dewa Agung Jambe, Bali;  Bataha Santiago, North Sulawesi;  M Tabrani, East Java; Queen Kalinyamat, Central Java;  KH Abdul Chalim, West Java;  and KH Ahmad Hanafiah, Lampung.

Previously, the list of recipients of this degree was submitted by the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD in Jakarta, last Wednesday (8/11), after being proposed and compiled by Ministry of Social Affairs and going through a process at the Council for Degrees and Service Certificates, and a Medal of Honor led by the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, to be later determined and awarded by the President.

Carrying the theme 'Heroic Spirit for the Nation's Future in Fighting Poverty and Ignorance', Heroes' Day 2023 will be a moment to internalize the spirit of heroes.  This is stated in Minister of Social Affairs' message which was read out at the Heroes' Day ceremony in each central and regional ministry/institution.  Minister of Social Affairs invited the Indonesian people, young and old, to have the same enthusiasm as the heroes in fighting poverty and ignorance.

"The heroes have taught us that we are not a nation of losers. We will never be willing to kneel and surrender. No matter how big the threats and challenges, we will face them with clenched fists and pumped chests," said Minister of Social Affairs in his address on 2023 Heroes' Day Commemoration.

Currently, the spirit to eradicate ignorance and fight poverty, the spirit that comes from the value of a hero's struggle, the spirit that leads to refusing to lose and surrender to circumstances to create a united, sovereign, just, and prosperous national life can answer the increasingly real threat of modern colonialism.