President Prabowo Attends National Christmas Celebration in Jakarta
Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto on Monday evening attended the 2025 National Christmas Celebration at the Indoor Tennis Stadium in Senayan, Jakarta, conveying a message of tolerance and unity in Indonesia’s diverse society.
The annual celebration, themed “God Is Present to Save the Family,” drew thousands of participants from across the country. Prabowo arrived at the venue at around 7:09 p.m. Jakarta time, accompanied by Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka. Wearing a brown batik shirt and a black peci cap, the president greeted and shook hands with congregants upon his arrival.
According to the organizing committee, the event was attended by about 3,580 participants representing a broad cross-section of society, including Sunday school teachers, church caretakers, Christian and Catholic religious teachers, orphans, Sunday school children, and people with disabilities.
The main stage featured two eight-meter-tall Christmas trees made entirely of assorted fruits, symbolizing simplicity and the spirit of sharing that organizers sought to highlight in this year’s celebration. The visual display reflected the broader theme of family, care, and solidarity amid social and economic challenges.
A number of senior government officials and members of the Red and White Cabinet were also present, including Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, Religious Affairs Minister Nazaruddin Umar, Chief Human Development and Cultural Affairs Minister Pratikno, Chief Food Affairs Minister Zulkifli Hasan, and Chief Infrastructure and Regional Development Minister Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono.
Other attendees included Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf, Culture Minister Fadli Zon, Population and Family Development Minister Wihaji, State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, Investment and Downstreaming Minister Rosan Roeslani, National Research and Innovation Agency head Arif Satria, and National Economic Council Chairman Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. National Police Chief Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo and National Christmas Celebration 2025 committee chairman Maruarar Sirait were also in attendance.
The presence of the president, vice president and senior state officials at the event was widely seen as a signal of the government’s commitment to safeguarding interfaith harmony and national unity. Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, formally recognizes multiple religions and regularly highlights religious celebrations as part of its broader effort to promote tolerance and social cohesion.
Organizers said the National Christmas Celebration aims to strengthen a sense of togetherness while reinforcing shared values of compassion, peace and mutual respect across religious and cultural lines.
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