Ashraf AboArafe
Celebrating of the 79th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Indonesia, the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Cairo held a flag raising ceremony outside the Indonesian Embassy for the first time, this event was held at the Islamic Missions City Stadium of Al-Azhar University.
The program started at 07.30 with a solemn atmosphere full of national spirit, the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the Arab Republic of Egypt, Mr. Lutfi Rauf, acted as the inspector of the ceremony, and Major (Marine) Aji Purnomo, Assistant Military Attaché, acted as the master of the ceremony, where the flag raising team came from Indonesian students from the Indonesian School in Cairo (SIC) and Al-Azhar Secondary Institute, and the theme of the celebration of Indonesian Independence Day 2024 was “New Archipelago, Advanced Indonesia”.
Choosing the location of the Islamic Missions City Stadium has a special meaning, which is a symbol of openness and inclusiveness, considering that this location is more prominent so that it can accommodate the Indonesian community in Egypt, which numbers more than 15,000 people, as Ambassador Lutfi Rauf explained, “We chose the Islamic Missions City Stadium as the venue for this year’s program in the hope that this event will be accessible to all Indonesian citizens in Egypt, and this place is not just a physical representation but also a symbol of our commitment to continue getting closer to the community.”
The event was held through the cooperation between the Indonesian Embassy in Cairo, the Islamic Missions City of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and Indonesian student organizations in Egypt. After the flag raising ceremony, the event continued with various popular competitions, including biscuit eating, tug of war, and many other competitions. The Indonesian Embassy in Cairo has previously held sports competitions such as badminton, bowling, sepak takraw, and table tennis.
The ceremony was attended by about a thousand Indonesian citizens from the Indonesian Students Association (PPMI), representatives of regional organizations and affiliated organizations of community organizations in Indonesia, officials and staff of the Indonesian Embassy, students of the Indonesian School in Cairo (SIC). Other guests, including a delegation from the Indonesian National Scout Movement Headquarters who were on a working visit to Egypt, attended the ceremony.
