Constitutional Court officers Wednesday (Nov. 10) commemorated the Memorial Day, the ceremony of which was led by Courtâs Secretary General Janedjri M. Gaffar.
Jakarta, MKOnline - As a tribute to national heroes and heroines, Constitutional Court officers commemorated the Memorial Day, with the Court’s Secretary General Janedjri M. Gaffar, who acted as Inspector of Ceremony, reading the mandate of the Minister of Social Affairs on Wednesday (Nov. 11) at the courtyard of the Constitutional Court building in Jakarta. One excerpt of the speech of the Minister of Social Affairs said that the day served as one form of appreciation for the services and sacrifices of national heroes and warriors before us, as it in line with the saying of our Founding Fathers: “… only the nation that respects their heroes can become a great nation….” This phrase is widely known as an expression that says “… a great nation is a nation that respects the services of her heroes”.
The Minister of Social Affairs in his speech also states: “The Battle of 10 November in Surabaya, which we remember every year as Memorial Day, represents a heroic struggle, a struggle which requires the extraordinary sacrifices of our predecessors, in the form of soul, body, and property.” The Minister also said in the mandate: “The spirit and values embodied in the Battle of 10 November should become the inspiration and the life of ours, stimulating and encouraging is to fill this era of freedom. The Memorial Day this year took the theme of ‘With the Spirit of Heroism, Let’s Improve the Social and National Values of Social Solidarity.’” This theme, according to the Minister, should become a momentum to increase the awareness and strengthen the bond of togetherness in order to overcome problems the Country is facing, from poverty to unemployment, abandonment, isolation, and to natural disasters. We need to raise the levels of attention and seriousness in addressing such problems.
In the brief speech read by the Court’s Secretary General, the Minister of Social Affairs pinpointed that the need to increase solidarity, mutual appreciation, and respect is very crucial. With that said, the Minister also encouraged that people should not be easily provoked, and that, through solidarity, we should strengthen the bond of friendships in order to fortify the unity of the Republic of Indonesia. (Dwi Nugroho)
Thursday, November 11, 2010 | 14:37 WIB 279