Neeltje Deliana Insjowi Werimon felt nervous as she took part in the\nflag-lowering ceremony for the Red and White at Merdeka Palace on Monday\nafternoon (17\/8).<\/p>\n
The member of the National Flag Hoisting Troop (Paskibraka) from\nPapua was tasked with carrying the tray and returning the Red and White\nto President Prabowo Subianto. All eyes were on Neeltje as she walked\nslowly up the steps of Merdeka Palace one by one.<\/p>\n
Despite admitting to feeling anxious, Neeltje carried out her duties\nwell. The nervousness she had felt turned into pride when she came face\nto face with Prabowo.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course, at first I was very nervous because I had to carry out\nthis very heavy task. But on the other hand, I was also excited because\nI could perform the flag ceremony at the State Palace and also meet the\nPresident,\u201d Neeltje said.<\/p>\n
Neeltje, a student at SMA Negeri 8 Jayapura, Papua, said the task was\nan unforgettable experience.<\/p>\n
However, although she felt relieved to have carried out her duties\nwell, she also felt deep emotion. With the conclusion of the peak events\nmarking Indonesia\u2019s 81st Independence Day, she had to part ways with her\nfellow Paskibraka members, whom she had come to regard as friends.<\/p>\n
Neeltje and the other Paskibraka members underwent training together\nfor approximately one month. The training programme, ranging from\nbriefings to physical and mental exercises, brought her and the other\nmembers closer together.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is because for about a month we have been working hard, doing\nphysical and mental training every day. And finally today the task is\nfinished, and we also feel very relieved,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
For Neeltje, the moment of Indonesia\u2019s 81st Independence Day was an\nopportunity to remember the services of the heroes who fought for\nindependence.<\/p>\n
Thanks to the sacrifices of past heroes, Indonesia\u2019s young generation\nnow has the opportunity to pursue their respective dreams, including\nNeeltje, who aspires to become a mining engineer.<\/p>\n
She hopes the experience gained during her Paskibraka education and\ntraining can serve as a foundation for her future life and help her\nachieve that dream.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my view, to give meaning to Independence Day is to appreciate all\nthe services of our heroes who fought for our independence,\u201d she\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Neeltje also conveyed her prayers and hopes for Prabowo, wishing him\ncontinued health and long life in carrying out his duties as Indonesia\u2019s\nleader.<\/p>\n
\u201cMay the President live long, always be healthy, and be able to see\nthe Indonesian nation become a much better nation, and be able to see\nus, the young generation, become the new hope of the nation,\u201d she\nconcluded.<\/p>\n
Emotional parents<\/p>\n
The moment of the 81st anniversary of the Independence of the\nRepublic of Indonesia at Merdeka Palace was a special experience for the\nfamily of Neeltje Deliana Insjowi Werimon, a Paskibraka member from\nPapua Province.<\/p>\n
For the first time, Neeltje\u2019s parents set foot in the Palace and\nwitnessed their daughter carrying out her duty as the bearer of the Red\nand White flag tray during the flag-lowering ceremony at Merdeka Palace,\nJakarta, on Monday afternoon (17\/8).<\/p>\n
Neeltje\u2019s father, Aiwoisendin Hendrik Werimon, expressed his\namazement at finally seeing the Palace in person. Until now, he had only\nknown the Palace through television screens.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll this time we have always watched from TV. So when I first saw\nthis, \u2018Eh, this is like on TV.\u2019 So it was extraordinary. We were quite\namazed to see the reality of this Palace,\u201d Aiwoisendin said.<\/p>\n
The experience was made even more memorable because he also met\nPresident Prabowo Subianto face to face for the first time.<\/p>\n
He expressed his appreciation to Prabowo for the opportunity given to\nthe Paskibraka members to carry out their duties in the state\nceremony.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo the President, thank you for this opportunity given to our\nchildren,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Aiwoisendin hopes that President Prabowo will always be granted good\nhealth and be able to make the best decisions for the nation and\nstate.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hope the President is always healthy and can make the best\ndecisions for the nation and state,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
According to Aiwoisendin, Neeltje\u2019s journey to becoming a Paskibraka\nmember was also a source of pride for the family. Previously, Neeltje\nhad not been interested in joining Paskibraka activities.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were very surprised when she chose to join Paskibraka, because\nshe was previously not interested in that activity. And when she was in\nhigh school and decided to take it up, we were quite surprised and in\nthe end we supported her,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
As a parent, Aiwoisendin admitted that he could only provide support\nand prayers for his daughter\u2019s efforts. He hopes the experience Neeltje\ngained during her time as a Paskibraka member can become a valuable\nfoundation for her future.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause it is her own effort, as parents we can only pray. And may\nthe best for Neeltje in the future be achieved by Neeltje,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, her mother, Steffi Edithya Florence Awom, said the biggest\nchallenge during Neeltje\u2019s approximately one-month training camp was not\nbeing able to meet and communicate with her daughter.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor about a month not meeting was actually the hardest thing. Not\nmeeting and not communicating, that was the hardest thing,\u201d Steffi\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, Steffi was proud to see Neeltje able to get through the\nvarious physical exercises and mental conditioning until she finally\ncarried out her duties well at the State Palace.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey also had to forge their mentality to be better, disciplined,\nand so on. Their character was shaped. I think they successfully got\nthrough those difficult times and were able to carry out their duties\nwell,\u201d she said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/papuan-paskibraka-member-nervous-while-carrying-tray-during-flag-lowering-ceremony-1787010701", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }