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The Indonesian Express
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Photo: Dok/KOWANI
The National Kebaya Day 2024 Celebration Kicks Off At Istora Senayan With Great Enthusiasm
Thursday, 25 Jul 2024
For the first time, the opening of National Kebaya Day was commemorated on July 24, 2024 at Istora Senayan, Jakarta. President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and First Lady Iriana were present to support the cultural event. On this occasion, Iriana received the Mother of the Nation Award from the Indonesian Women's Congress (KOWANI). The National Kebaya Day 2024 was officially established through Presidential Decree (Keppres) No. 19 of 2023. The designation was made because kebaya is one of the cultural assets with historical value. During the 1950 KOWANI X Congress attended by the First President of Indonesia, Soekarno, all participants wore kebaya. "What President Soekarno conveyed at that time was the very important role of women in the revolution and nation-building. Without women, Indonesia would not have been independent," explained the Chairperson of KOWANI, Giwo Rubianto Wiyogo, at the opening of the event. KOWANI, as the organizer of the main event commemorating National Kebaya Day 2024, aims for kebaya to be a symbol of empowerment and women's struggle. Through kebaya, not only is culture preserved but there is also a lasting impact on industries and businesses intersecting with women. "This is a long journey and our shared homework in preserving the cultural identity of the nation. We also bring kebaya as a cultural heritage to UNESCO through a joint nomination with several other ASEAN member countries such as Brunei Darussalam, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia," Giwo explained. A total of 9,250 women in kebaya were revealed by Giwo to enliven this event. Some of them are organizations actively advocating for kebaya such as the OASE Maju Indonesia Cabinet (KIM) led by Iriana Jokowi, Cahaya Ladara Nusantara (CLN) led by Nanny Hadi Tjahjanto, and communities like Kebaya, Coffee, and Books (KKB). Participants from Southeast Asian countries were also present. The theme "Preserving Culture with Pride in Kebaya" was raised at the inaugural National Kebaya Day. The hope is that kebaya will become a cultural heritage symbolizing struggle, equality, and women's empowerment. "By wearing kebaya, we also become agents of change in the economy," added Giwo. Speaking about the connection between kebaya and the economy, renowned kebaya designer Anne Avantie explained that there are various figures involved behind the presence of a kebaya. These figures are the ones who drive the economy and empower women. "There are embroiderers, there are tailors, there are accessory makers, there are batik makers, there are weavers. Kebaya is not just a matter of clothing, it's our struggle for a journey of life," said Anne. The day before (23/7), a series of events for National Kebaya Day 2024 took place in the form of the KOWANI Expo, which was attended by the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto. The exhibition was attended by around 181 MSMEs in textiles, crafts, and culinary arts and was supported by Cahaya Ladara Nusantara. In addition, the organization of National Kebaya Day 2024 by KOWANI also received an award from the Indonesian World Record Museum (MURI). In addition to the main event held over two days on July 23 and 24, 2024, several side events had taken place earlier. Such as the kebaya event during car free day on July 14, which was attended by around 3,000 participants.
