President Joko Widodo and First Lady Iriana attend the commemoration of the National Kebaya Day 2024 with theme of “Preserving the Culture by Proudly Wearing Kebaya” at Istora Senayan Jakarta, on Wednesdayl0 (24/07). (Photo by Public Relations of Cabinet Secretariat /Oji)
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and First Lady Iriana attended the first commemoration of the National Kebaya Day 2024 with the theme of “Preserving Culture by Proudly Wearing Kebaya”, at Istora Senayan Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta, on Wednesday morning (24/07). The President was wearing a long-sleeve brown batik shirt while First Lady Iriana was wearing a blue kebaya (the national female clothes).
The commemoration was attended by around 7,000 participants who were wearing various kebaya as well as enlivened by performance of designer Anne Avantie, singers Sundari Sukoco and Putri Ariani, as well as film actress Widyawati. Rika Roeslan, Yuni Shara, Iga Mawarni, Nina Tamam, and Andien together sang their song of “Kebaya Indonesia” during the event.
The President had issued the Presidential Decree Number 19 of 2023, signed on 4 August 2023, on the National Kebaya Day which established the National Kebaya Day on 24 July, with consideration that, firstly, kebaya is the national identity to unite the nation which is cross-ethnic and has been developing as a very valuable cultural asset that its existence should be protected and preserved.
Secondly, kebaya has been developing to be a national attire on national and international events.
Thirdly, the 10th Congress of KOWANI (Indonesian Women Congress) in 1964, attended by the first Indonesian President Soekarno, had emphasized that the Indonesian revolution would not be able to carry on without women involvement, in which all women were wearing kebaya during the congress. (FID/ABD) (GA/LW)
