Chinese New Year Celebrations: Prabowo States that Great Nations Are Not Afraid of Differences

President Prabowo Subianto stated that Indonesia is a great nation unafraid of differences. The Head of State conveyed this message in a video greeting for the 2577 Kongzili Chinese New Year Festival celebrations on Saturday evening, 28 February 2026.

Prabowo noted that this year’s Chinese New Year, coinciding with Ramadan, represents not only a traditional celebration but also a momentum to strengthen brotherhood and unity. He emphasised that Indonesia was not built by a single ethnic group or faction alone, but by all the nation’s children.

“This is the true face of Indonesia. Different yet harmonious, diverse, with one purpose. Indonesia is a great nation that is not afraid of differences. A great nation indeed nurtures differences as its strength,” Prabowo said, as quoted from the video statement uploaded to the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube account on Sunday, 1 March 2026.

Prabowo stated that the 2026 Chinese New Year Festival was held in various cities across Indonesia, ranging from Jakarta, Medan, Palembang, Batam, Bogor, Semarang, Solo, Surabaya, Pontianak, Singkawang, Makassar, to Manado.

In Jakarta, the peak of the Chinese New Year Festival celebration took place at Lapangan Banteng. The event was attended by thousands of residents and served as a stage for cultural acculturation that blended Chinese traditions with the richness of Indonesian heritage.

Prabowo stated that the Chinese New Year Festival celebrations across various regions serve as evidence of harmony throughout the archipelago. “This is proof that Indonesian unity is not merely a slogan. Indonesian unity is a reality,” Prabowo said.

For him, the harmony of the Nusantara Chinese New Year represents a symbol that the nation’s future is built through togetherness, hard work, unity, and the courage to stand as one nation.

Concluding his remarks, Prabowo invited the Indonesian people to welcome the Year of the Fire Horse with optimism and courage. The former Defence Minister expressed hope that this new year would bring blessings, health, and peace for all Indonesian citizens.

“Gong Xi Fa Cai, may fortune, health, and happiness accompany us all,” Prabowo said.