The Charm of Youth
BERITA LAINNYA - 05 November 2021
The Charm of Youth
"Give me ten youths hence I will undoubtedly shake the world," was resonantly quoted by Bung Karno to the ears of all Indonesian at that time. The youths are the prominent pioneer and the keystone of our national defense. Being the center for intelligence, having the ability to be resilient, and having a great passion are the characteristics that the youth have to make changes in terms of developing Indonesia.
Throughout history, the Indonesian youth had shown divine willpower through the make of Youth Congress that was established in 1928. Initially, the Youth Pledge existed because of what the Indonesian youth had gone through during the war. They started an impactful national movement in 1908 as the beginning of nationalism in Indonesia. At first, a lot of student/youth organizations were formed by participating in local communities and activities which then continued to become a dynamic movement for the youth to unite collectively within national scope. An organization created by college students from STOVIA (School tot Opleiding van Indische Artsen), “Boedi Utomo” on May 20, 1908, in Jakarta, proved how the youth worked together toward independence.
The birth of the Pledge is a fundamental principle to reinforce the youth’s integrity for the unity that is based on patriotism which truly comes from the bottom of their heart. Through the Second Youth Congress, history has recorded that the process of the Youth Pledge being born involved in a total of three sequences of meetings which were all held by the students to formulate the Youth Pledge.
The first meeting was on October 27, 1928, at the Katholieke Jongenlingen Bond Building where Mohammad Yamin discussed and announced the five important factors to strengthen Indonesian unity. Those five factors are namely history, language, customary law, education, and will.
On the next day, the follow-through meeting that was conducted at the Oost-Java Bioscoop Building focused more on education for children in Indonesia. The attendees discussed how education should be delivered democratically and shall provide strong knowledge regarding nationalism.
The importance of nationalism and democracy was then being further emphasized in the third meeting on October 28, 1928, at the Indonesische Clubhuis Kramat Building. It was said in the meeting that both nationalism and democracy can’t be separated from national movement at any point.
Therefore, the third meeting ended up resulting in a national unity pledge:
- We the sons and daughters of Indonesia, acknowledge one motherland, Indonesia.
2. We the sons and daughters of Indonesia, acknowledge to be of one nation, the nation of Indonesia.
3. We the sons and daughters of Indonesia, uphold the language of unity, Indonesian.
The Youth Pledge is a part of the history that has brought the cultural heritage values of the youth’s determination which all united to affirm, strengthen, and actualize the pledge so that it wouldn’t merely be lines of “words”, but also a vivid action.
Indonesian youth, the next generation that represents the faces of school-aged children is the key to strengthening the Youth Pledge which Indonesians read out loud every October 28th. Living in the adolescence phase of life, the dynamics that happen throughout the process of growing and developing as students are certainly not easy. There are ups and downs in every aspect of life, whether it’s a condition coming from school, home, or peer environment. Furthermore, the pandemic isn’t over yet. As Indonesian youth, don’t let the situation dims our spirit, willingness, and integrity. The urge that sets causes to be lazy, ignorant, careless, and other tendencies which can interfere with youth’s development shall not be cultivated.
The spirit of Indonesian youths does not have to be a form of unity to fight colonialism. Nowadays, the actual colonialism itself is the captivity of the carnal natures that each of us owns inside ourselves. Then, how do students as youths overcome their carnal natures that may seem to be small but dangerous at the same time? Indeed, every youth, especially every student, has their own charm to overcome this situation. If youths can fight against their carnal natures, the effort that they give will be worth of value and preciousness for the nation. That way, the charm of positive culture can be more attached to the Indonesian collectively.
Determination, perseverance, a high level of enthusiasm, and openness to the things around us are the charm that youths shall embody in order to fight against the threats that can bother national defense stability. Overcoming uncertain situations due to the pandemic shall hinder the youth to be more productive in working and orienting toward the development of our beloved country. By having everlasting patriotism and tenacity, youths and students in Indonesia can make remarkable things from small changes and create charms that can color the life of the Indonesian to the boundless generations.
Students and youths of Indonesia, let us end the colonialism inside ourselves and start something greater amidst the romanticism of life to create a charm that can be an authentic image of the Indonesian.
By : Desy Nicola
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