If young people were willing to join hands, collaborate and innovate, The Indonesian nation would be able to go through the difficulties caused by the pandemic.
By
KOMPAS TEAM
·7 minutes read
ANTARA FOTO/PRASETIA FAUZANI
A number of residents take part in a flag ceremony to commemorate Youth Pledge Day on the Persada Soekarno website page (Bung Karno's childhood home) Pojok Village, Kediri, East Java, Thursday (28/10/2021).
SURABAYA, KOMPAS — The rise of today's youth is reflected in their important role in the handling and prevention of Covid-19 transmission. In commemorating the Youth Pledge Day on Oct. 28, young people are expected to strengthen their solidarity and togetherness so the country will be able to come out of the shackles of the pandemic.
The role of young people in handling the pandemic, among other things, can be seen from the activities of the Surabaya Volunteers Movement in East Java. This movement was established in early July when the pandemic reached its peak following the spread of new Covid-19 variants, including Delta. In less than two weeks after its establishment, the movement had reached 2,500 members who worked under the coordination of the Surabaya municipal administration.
“About 80 percent of the members of the Surabaya Volunteers Movement comprise young people. Without the support of young people, the government officials and residents would have had difficulty handling the pandemic, " the Mayor of Surabaya , Eri Cahyadi, said in a ceremony to commemorate Youth Pledge Day on Thursday (10/28/2021).
The volunteers worked together with the Covid-19 Handling Task Force in Surabaya. They were involved in many activities such as in encouraging people to apply health protocols and distributing face masks, sanitizing fluids and personal protective equipment. They were also involved in the implementation of the 3T program (test, trace, treat) and vaccinations. Some of the volunteers also became health workers and assistants.
The chairman of the Surabaya Regional Legislative Council (DPRD), Adi Sutarwijono, said that without the help of these young people, especially those from the Surabaya Volunteers Movement, it would have been difficult for the local administration to handle the Covid-19 pandemic effectively. "The egalitarian character of Surabaya residents and their willingness to work together also support and contribute to the improvement of the pandemic situation," said Adi.
During the commemoration of Youth Pledge Day at the Tuban district square, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa invited young people to strengthen their solidarity and togetherness, which would serve as important capital to rise from the pandemic.
"The Covid-19 pandemic has taught us a great lesson about solidarity. The people have become more empathetic and have various initiatives to support each other. In this movement, many young people take part to help each other,” said Khofifah.
HUMAS PEMPROV JATIM
East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa at the Youth Pledge ceremony in Tuban Square, Thursday (28/10/2021).
In many important moments of the Indonesian nation's journey, Khofifah said, young people have always played important roles as the drivers of the awakening and progress. Therefore, if young people were willing to join hands, collaborate and innovate, she believed that the Indonesian nation would be able to go through the difficulties caused by the pandemic.
Tuban was chosen as the location to celebrate the Youth Pledge Day because it was the hometown of Soegondo Djojopoespito, one of the leaders at the Second Youth Congress that took place Oct. 27-28, 1928. To appreciate his service, Khofifah asked the Tuban regency administration to propose Segondo, who died in Yogyakarta, as a national hero.
During the occasion, Khofifah also gave awards to outstanding young people in the East Java province. The 2021 Main East Java Youth Award for Development Awareness was given to Musaiyana from Sampang Regency, while the award for Skills Development was given to Cynthia Cecilia from Surabaya City and the award for Economic Empowerment was given to Muhammad Nabil from Lumajang.
In Pontianak, West Kalimantan Governor Sutarmidji asked young people to take an active role in the Covid-19 vaccination program such as by encouraging people to get vaccinated and ensuring the smooth distribution of the vaccines in the province.
"If youths can unite with the TNI-Polri [Indonesian Military and National Police] and other policy makers, it will be easy to cope with the geographic challenges in the vaccination drive," said Sutarmidji while attending the West Kalimantan Vaccination Campaign, which was held as part of the commemoration of Youth Pledge Day at the Sultan Syarif Abdurrahman Stadium area in Pontianak on Thursday.
Until now, West Kalimantan has not yet achieved its vaccination target. Previously, the provincial administration targeted that 60 percent of the population would receive their first vaccine dose by the end of 2021. However, a number of demographic problems as well as the recent floods in Sintang, Melawi, Sanggau, Sekadau and Kapuas Hulu have hampered the vaccination program in the province.
KOMPAS/EMANUEL EDI SAPUTRA
Vaccination Festival in the context of the 93rd Youth Pledge Day, in the Sultan Syarif Abdurrahman (SSA) Stadium area, Pontianak City, West Kalimantan, Thursday (28/10/2021).
The head of the West Kalimantan Health Office, Harrisson, said as of Oct. 27, as many as 38.54 percent, 1,492,640 people, out of the targeted 3.8 million people had received their first vaccine dose, while the number of those who have been fully vaccinated was 821,047 people.
The head of the Youth, Sports and Tourism Office of West Kalimantan, Windy Prihastari, said that youth organizations had contributed greatly to the success of the vaccination drive in the province. One of them being the Kalimantan Idea Academy.
The Kalimantan Idea Academy is a partner of various parties in carrying out vaccinations, one of which is the West Kalimantan Regional Police. "We collect data on residents in the village and assist the villagers in the vaccination drive" said the chairman of the Kalimantan Idea Academy, Beny Than Heri.
The young people have a big responsibility in coping with the pandemic.
The youth contributions also came from the West Kalimantan Zakat House. In addition to helping the vaccination programs held by health centers in Pontianak, they also provide information and education about vaccines to the public.
"The young people have a big responsibility in coping with the pandemic," said Asrul Putra Nanda, the branch manager of the West Kalimantan Zakat House.
KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO
Students from various regions who are members of the Nusantara Student Alliance attend the Youth Oath commemoration ceremony at the Kaliadem Bunker, Kepuharjo Village, Cangkringan, Sleman, DI Yogyakarta, Thursday (28/10/2021). The commemoration of the Youth Pledge was held to further inflame the spirit of the unity of the Indonesian nation.
In Jakarta
The commemoration of Youth Pledge Day was held in a number of places in Jakarta, including activities held by workers.
On Jl. Kramat Raya, Senen district, Central Jakarta, Youth Pledge Day was commemorated by the unfurling of a giant red and white flag measuring 30 by 50 meters. About 150 people took to the streets for 20 minutes in the morning. They consisted of several groups, including the Pertamina Labor Union, the Indonesian Football Society and students.
"In commemorating the Youth Pledge, we invite all elements of the nation to unite again, to reknit the red and white flag and remove all the problems that currently tear it apart," said the head of the Media Division of the the Pertamina Labor Union, Marcelius Hakim.
The message of the activities was to dissolve political issues that had hampered efforts to unite the nation. Therefore, the activities involved various elements of society, especially the youth.
“The youth gathered today are the forerunners of the nation's leaders when Indonesia reaches its golden era during the commemoration of 100 years of Indonesia's independence, or 20 years from now. The young people who gather will become the golden generation,” he said.
Meanwhile, thousands of people from various labor elements who are members of the People's Labor Movement (Gebrak) also staged a street demonstration. The protesters rallied from of the United States embassy to the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta at 11.00 a.m. on Thursday.
The chairperson of the Congress Alliance of Indonesian Labor Unions (KASBI), Nining Elitos, said in a written statement that the demonstration was held as part of the evaluation of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Vice President Ma'ruf Amin's performances during the first two years of their term.
As many as 19,555 personnel from the National Police and military as well as public order officers were deployed to guard the labor action at the Palace. The traffic divisions of the Jakarta Police departments rerouted the traffic to prevent serious congestion. (ESA/NIK/ERK/BRO/ETA)
This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.
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