1,000 people stretch 481-meter Indonesian flag in Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta's Malioboro area transformed into a sea of red and white as approximately 1,000 people participated in stretching a 481-meter-long Indonesian flag. The flag extended from the Tugu Pal Putih monument, along Jalan Malioboro, to the Kilometer 0 point on Saturday, August 15, 2026.

This significant display was part of the "Jogja Merah Putih" activities, organized to commemorate the upcoming 81st anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia. Participants included members of the TNI, Polri, local government officials, and the general public. Residents and tourists lining Malioboro enthusiastically witnessed the event.

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I think an event like this is very good, because it's rare, and not necessarily happens once a year. So for me, this is an event in commemorating it because it happens to be a weekend, so that people from other regions can also witness it.

Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, the Governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta, lauded the initiative. "I think an event like this is very good, because it's rare, and not necessarily happens once a year," the Sultan stated during an interview in Malioboro on Saturday. He noted that holding the event on a weekend allowed people from other regions to witness it.

The Governor emphasized that the flag-stretching activity serves as more than just a pre-Independence Day celebration. He expressed hope that it would instill a sense of national consciousness and pride among Indonesians. "My hope is that it provides a philosophy in the heart for the growth of national spirit from generation to generation, to provide awareness, appreciation, we need to be proud to be Indonesian," he said.

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My hope is that it provides a philosophy in the heart for the growth of national spirit from generation to generation, to provide awareness, appreciation, we need to be proud to be Indonesian.