West Java Holds Independence Day Ceremony at Gedung Sate for First Time

The 81st Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia ceremony at the West Java provincial level will be held in the courtyard of Gedung Sate, Bandung City, on Monday (17/8). Previously, the ceremony commemorating Indonesia’s Independence Day at the West Java level was always held at Gasibu Square. As such, this year’s Independence Day ceremony will be the first to be held in the Gedung Sate courtyard.

“This is the first time. All this time the ceremony venue has been Gasibu Square. When the flag was raised and captured on camera, a hotel building appeared in the background, not Gedung Sate. Well, that will no longer happen,” said West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi yesterday.

According to Dedi, Gedung Sate, after its renovation, will be open to the public, so the Independence Day ceremony will be an opportunity for the people of West Java to see for the first time the results of the revitalisation and renovation of Gedung Sate. In addition to the new location, the ceremony will be attended only by TNI and Polri personnel, without involving civil servants and students. Meanwhile, Satpol PP will take part in the troop parade.

“The ceremony will be attended by people who are accustomed to ceremonies. They have strong physical endurance. They also have the ability to remain silent during the ceremony so that it can proceed in an orderly manner. Meanwhile, the public can sit back and relax while enjoying the flag ceremony,” he said.

According to the governor, Gedung Sate is ready to be used as a ceremony venue. The construction of the gate and archway is underway and is expected to be completed today, Sunday (16/8). The arrangement of the heritage building and icon of Bandung City has been carried out carefully, including in the selection of wall paint materials.

“So now it uses paint that meets the standards in accordance with the provisions of the Cultural Heritage Preservation Centre. This can be seen from the colour of Gedung Sate, which is clean white and brighter than the previous colour,” he said.

Previously, the governor had also inaugurated 51 members of the West Java Provincial Heritage Flag Hoisting Troop (Paskibraka) for 2026. The 51 Paskibraka members are representatives from 27 regencies/cities across West Java. They have undergone various stages of selection and training to build a spirit of nationalism, patriotism and leadership.

The selection stages included tests on national insight, general intelligence, physical fitness, health, parade, drill regulations, interviews, and a series of other tests.

“The Paskibraka members are a generation prepared to become the nation’s successors. He invited them to internalise the values of the Red and White in their lives. Those standing here are the generation that will rise in the future to become the nation’s successors. Be happy because today you can internalise the values of the Red and White,” said the governor.

According to Dedi, the spirit of the Red and White must be built on a commitment to national unity and honour. He stressed that service to the nation should not be based on interests in position, power or wealth. He also appreciated the perseverance of the Paskibraka members who were willing to undergo the training and coaching process amid various challenges. This attitude sets them apart amid a younger generation that is increasingly accustomed to comfort and digital activities.