Two high school students from Papua had the honor of participating in Indonesia’s 80th Independence Day celebrations as members of the Pasukan Pengibar Bendera Pusaka (Paskibraka) at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, standing alongside President Prabowo Subianto. Representing Papua Pegunungan Province is Franciscus Sakfiris Pahabolisage, a student at SMA Negeri 1 Wamena, while Stincek Laramiapa represents Papua Tengah Province from SMA Negeri 1 Nabire. They expressed their joy and gratitude for the opportunity to be part of such a prestigious event, with Franciscus highlighting the challenging selection process that pushed him to adapt to new physical training routines. Stincek, on the other hand, emphasized her commitment to delivering a stellar performance during the flag-raising ceremony, despite initial doubts about reaching the national level. Both students acknowledged the importance of teamwork and camaraderie, fostering unity and understanding amongst the diverse members of the Paskibraka team. While nervous about performing in front of the President, they expressed more excitement and pride in representing their country on such a significant occasion.
