Two high school students from Papua recently participated in Indonesia’s 80th Independence Day celebrations as members of the Pasukan Pengibar Bendera Pusaka (Paskibraka), the elite national flag-raising troop, at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta alongside President Prabowo Subianto. Franciscus Sakfiris Pahabolisage, representing Papua Pegunungan Province, and Stincek Laramiapa, representing Papua Tengah Province, both expressed their happiness and gratitude for the opportunity. They went through a rigorous selection process, starting at the district level, then progressing to the provincial stage, and finally reaching the national level. Franciscus shared his initial shock at the physical training requirements, as he had never done regular running, push-ups, or sit-ups before. Despite the challenges, Stincek expressed her commitment to delivering her best performance during the flag-raising ceremony. She mentioned feeling nervous but also excited to meet the President in person on August 17. Both students emphasized the importance of teamwork and unity during their training, highlighting the camaraderie they built with fellow participants from all 38 provinces. Overall, they were honored to represent their provinces and were determined to make their country proud on Independence Day.
