Two high school students from Papua expressed their pride and excitement in participating in Indonesia’s 80th Independence Day celebrations as members of the Pasukan Pengibar Bendera Pusaka (Paskibraka), the elite national flag-raising troop, at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta alongside President Prabowo Subianto. Franciscus Sakfiris Pahabolisage, representing Papua Pegunungan Province, and a student at SMA Negeri 1 Wamena, as well as Stincek Laramiapa, representing Papua Tengah Province from SMA Negeri 1 Nabire, had the honor to be part of this prestigious event.
Franciscus expressed his happiness and gratitude for the opportunity to be in Jakarta and participate in the event, something he had only seen on TV or his phone before. He thanked the President for selecting them and expressed his excitement to meet him in person. Recalling the rigorous selection process, Franciscus shared his experience of overcoming challenges, especially in physical training, which was new to him.
Meanwhile, Stincek shared her commitment to giving her best performance during the flag-raising ceremony before the President and the nation. She expressed her determination to make the country proud and highlighted the camaraderie built among the Paskibraka members from all 38 provinces during training.
Both students admitted to feeling nervous yet excited about the upcoming performance on August 17, emphasizing the joy and honor they felt in being part of the Paskibraka team. Their journey from the district level to the national level was marked by hard work, dedication, and the spirit of unity and collaboration. The students expressed their readiness to raise the national flag with pride and honor on Indonesia’s Independence Day.
