The 79th Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia (HUT RI) celebration at One Earth School was festive and full of energy. The event was filled with a series of activities such as One Earth School Parade, flag ceremony, 17 August competitions, and One Earth Bazaar.
On 16 August 2024, all students from kindergarten to high school participated in the One Earth School Parade. During the parade, students walked from the school down Sunset Road to Glogor Carik road and then back to the school. All students wore traditional clothing representing various regions of Indonesia, from Sabang to Merauke (Sumatra, Java, Bali, Nusa Tenggara, Papua, Sulawesi and Kalimantan). Some students were very creative who designed and made their own traditional clothing worn during the parade to show the diversity of Indonesian culture through numerous regional clothing.
The parade was not only a showcase of our rich cultural heritage, but also a reminder of the unity that binds us as a nation. Guruji Anand Krishna constantly reminds us that our diversity is our strength, and together, we can achieve greatness.
The culmination of the Independence Day celebration on August 17, 2024, began with a flag-raising ceremony attended by all students, teachers, and parents. After the flag ceremony, the event continued with traditional Independence Day competitions: cracker eating competition, sack race, tug of war, ball relay race with cardboard track, putting nails into bottles, flag relay, and marbles race. Through these competitions, students practiced human values such as cooperation, focus, joy, and courage.
Independence is the gateway to restore the glory of the archipelago. As Bung Karno said, from nationalism to internationalism. Our spirit of nationalism is not narrow but instead exists within the larger framework of internationalism.
As we commemorate our nation’s independence, let’s deepen our sense of togetherness and appreciation, embracing our diversity as our greatest strength. As Guruji Anand Krishna says:
“The small islands you see are united by the vast ocean. Each island is unique, yet they exist because of the one and the same ocean.”
Together, let’s build a brighter, stronger Indonesia.
