EduAsiaNews, Jakarta – Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Jakarta (UPNVJ) commemorated Youth Pledge Day with a solemn flag-raising ceremony on campus on Wednesday (Oct. 28). Members of the UPNVJ academic community attended the ceremony wearing traditional and national attire, honoring Indonesia’s cultural diversity while reaffirming the spirit of national unity.
UPNVJ Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Dr. Henry Binsar Hamonangan Sitorus, S.T., M.T., presided over the ceremony and read a speech by Indonesia’s Minister of Youth and Sports titled “Patriotic, Persevering, and Empathetic: Youth for Indonesia.” The speech emphasized the importance of nurturing a generation that excels not only in knowledge and skills but also possesses strong character, a fighting spirit, and concern for others.
The speech underscored that building a developed Indonesia requires more than towering buildings, increasingly sophisticated technology, or abundant wealth. True progress begins with people, their character, hearts that love their homeland, an unwavering spirit, and concern for others.
Young people, as the driving force behind the nation’s future, must therefore embrace three core values: patriotism, perseverance, and empathy. Patriotism means demonstrating love for Indonesia not merely through words but through service and concrete action. Perseverance means refusing to give up in the face of hardship, remaining resilient after failure, and continuing to strive to give the best for the nation. Empathy, meanwhile, means looking beyond personal achievements to understand the difficulties others face and offering support to those in need.
The minister’s speech also served as a reminder that patriotism without compassion loses its meaning, perseverance without conscience loses its direction, and progress without humanity is not genuine progress. These values underscore the importance of ensuring that national development goes hand in hand with character building and social responsibility.
Through the speech, Henry encouraged young people, particularly those within the UPNVJ community, to become a generation that is both courageous enough to lead and willing to serve. They are expected to stand firm in defending the nation while extending a helping hand to others. Every contribution through knowledge, creative work, and sacrifice should serve as tangible proof of their love for Indonesia.
The Youth Pledge Day commemoration provided an opportunity for the UPNVJ academic community to reaffirm its commitment to unity, nationalism, and meaningful contributions to the nation. The spirit of the Youth Pledge is expected to extend beyond the ceremony and find expression in the attitudes, achievements, and service of young people as they work toward a more advanced, inclusive, and equitable Indonesia.
