Appreciating Public Enthusiasm, Minister of State Secretary Announces Additional Invitations for Ceremony of 81st Anniversary of Indonesia’s Independence
Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi expressed his appreciation to the public for their high enthusiasm to attend the Commemoration Ceremony of the 81st Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia, to be held at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on August 17, 2026. Over 336 thousand people were recorded participating in the invitation ticket rush, popularly known as “ticket war”, which was opened by the Government through the Pandang Istana website (https://pandang.istanapresiden.go.id) from August 5 to 9, 2026.
“In this regard, as the Chair of the Committee and the Minister of State Secretary, I express my gratitude to all fellow Indonesians who have participated in the ’ticket war’ to secure the invitation,” the Minister stated in his remarks at the Nusantara III Building of the Indonesian Parliament Complex (MPR/DPR/DPD RI), Jakarta, on Monday (08/10).
He clarified that the high public interest far exceeded the initial available capacity. Out of approximately 5,500 guest slots prepared through this mechanism, the number of registrants reached more than 336 thousand in four days.
“This proved that the public’s enthusiasm to attend the commemoration ceremony of the proclamation moments is extremely high,” he revealed.
To accommodate more people, the committee decided to add one more block with a capacity of around 3,400 people. This additional capacity will later be divided into two parts for two sessions, namely one for the Commemoration Ceremony of the Proclamation Moments in the morning and the other for the Flag Lowering Ceremony in the afternoon. The public can compete for these additional invitations on the Pandang Istana website starting Tuesday (08/11).
“For that reason, we, as the committee, decided to create one additional block with a capacity of approximately 3,400 yesterday. We will divide it into two parts for two sessions, namely one for the morning ceremony and the other for the flag-lowering ceremony, to add [more spaces] and accommodate more people so that far more people can attend the ceremony at the Palace,” the Minister explained.
In addition to the capacity increase, the Government decided to give priority to individuals who have never attended in person the independence commemoration ceremony at the Palace. This policy is implemented to give more opportunities to the public to attend the ceremony.
“We will distribute the invitations and give priority to our fellow citizens who have never attended the event before,” he continued.
On the occasion, the Minister also expressed his appreciation for various public initiatives across Indonesia in enlivening the celebrations of the 81st Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia. According to him, various competitions and creative activities, from traditional to modern, show the community’s spirit in actively participating during the Independence Month.
The Minister also invited the entire public to celebrate independence in accordance with their respective fields and expertise while upholding the spirit of unity and love for Indonesia.
“[I know that] we all have our own expertise, professions, and respective fields. As Indonesians, let us all fill this Independence Month with love for the homeland, a spirit of unity, nationalism, and pride in our beloved nation and state,” he concluded. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (NST/TM)
