M Julnis Firmansyah, Jakarta – Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo held a mass zikr for the country's 78th independence day in the courtyard of Jakarta Merdeka Palace on Tuesday evening, August 1, 2023. Nearly all ministers of the Onward Cabinet attended the event. Vice President Ma'ruf Amin was also present.

Tempo observed that a number of religious figures and students from diverse Islamic boarding schools also took part in the event wearing white Muslim attire or Koko.

Celebrating the 78th Indonesian Independence Day

Secretary of the State Secretariat Ministry, Setya Utama, explained that the mass prayer event is routinely held ahead of the country's independence day on August 17.

"As usual, the agenda for the month of independence at the Palace will be started with national zikr and prayer on August 1," Setya said.

The next agenda will be the award ceremony on August 14, followed by the inauguration ceremony for the national flag-hoisting team (Paskibraka) on August 15.

On August 16, President Jokowi is scheduled to deliver his State of the Union Address and speech on the submission of the 2024 State Budget bill. The series of events will take place at the Parliament Complex, Senayan.

Then in the early hours of August 17, there will be a ceremony to pay tribute to the nation's heroes at the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery, followed by the main event of the commemoration of the independence proclamation, including the flag-hoisting ceremony, in the morning and the flag-lowering ceremony in the afternoon.

"The ceremony for the proclamation and the flag-lowering ceremony at the Palace will be carried out offline or physically. So it's back to how it was before the pandemic," Setya confirmed.

The public is welcome to join the 78th Indonesian Independence Day ceremony by registering themselves via the Pandang Istana app.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1754797/jokowi-gathers-cabinet-ministers-for-mass-zikr-at-state-palac