Young people in Papua are being urged to take a more active role in protecting social harmony, preserving indigenous traditions, and shaping the region’s future as Indonesia marks the 98th anniversary of Youth Pledge Day on October 28, 2026.
Across Papua, community and customary leaders, youth representatives, and regional lawmakers have used the anniversary to deliver a consistent message: unity must be demonstrated through everyday actions, peaceful dialogue, access to education, productive employment, and meaningful participation in development.
Their calls have emerged from several locations, including Jayapura, Biak Numfor, Keerom, Papua Tengah, Papua Barat, and Merauke in South Papua. While each community faces its circumstances, the messages share a common concern that young Papuans should not remain spectators as their region changes. They should have the skills, opportunities, and confidence to contribute directly to that change.
The anniversary has therefore become more than a ceremonial occasion. It has provided a platform for discussing how Indonesia’s longstanding commitment to national unity can be translated into tangible opportunities for Papua’s younger generation, while respecting the region’s distinctive cultural identities. IDN Times and RM.id reported on the calls for unity and greater youth participation.
A Historic Pledge with a Contemporary Meaning
Youth Pledge Day commemorates the commitment made by Indonesian youth representatives at the Second Youth Congress in Batavia, now Jakarta, on October 28, 1928. Their declaration affirmed one homeland, one nation, and one language: Indonesia.
Nearly a century later, the anniversary remains a powerful reference point for Indonesia’s diverse communities. In Papua, its relevance is being expressed through calls for cooperation across customary groups, ethnic backgrounds, religious communities, and generations.
The message from local leaders is that national unity does not require communities to abandon their traditions. Instead, young people can contribute to a shared national future while preserving indigenous languages, customary values, and the identities passed down by their families.
This approach is particularly visible in the statements of customary leaders in Biak Numfor and Jayapura, who have connected cultural preservation with peaceful coexistence and local development.
David Rumansara, chairman of the Biak Numfor Indigenous Community Institution, said Youth Pledge Day should not be treated merely as an annual commemoration. Young people, he argued, should become drivers of unity, protect customary traditions, and take part in development through concrete actions that benefit their communities.
His message places responsibility on the younger generation to turn national ideals into practical contributions, from strengthening relationships between neighbors to participating in local initiatives and developing their own capabilities.
Customary Leaders Put Peace and Tradition at the Center
Jayapura: Young people as guardians of culture and peace
On October 27, George Arnold Awi, chairman of the Port Numbay Indigenous Community Institution, delivered his message during a social service activity held at an ondoafi, or customary leader’s, residence in Tanah Hitam, Abepura, Jayapura City.
The gathering brought together customary figures, community representatives, and young people under the theme “Papuan Youth Preserving Custom, Nurturing Unity, and Building Peaceful Villages.”
Awi said the anniversary should remind young people that unity is a responsibility that must be practiced rather than simply celebrated. He described customary values as a source of guidance for respect, solidarity, responsibility, and peace.
He also called on young people to reject hostility and resolve disagreements through dialogue and deliberation. Differences in ethnic background, clan, religion, or opinion, he said, should never become reasons to undermine relationships between communities.
Awi encouraged young people to respect elders, listen to customary leaders, participate in social activities, and contribute to village development. He also highlighted the importance of protecting customary land and respecting the rights of indigenous communities.
The social service activity offered a practical illustration of his message. Rather than limiting the commemoration to speeches, participants used the occasion to strengthen relationships and demonstrate concern for others.
Awi hopes such initiatives will continue throughout the year, helping customary institutions maintain communication with young people and encouraging disputes to be addressed through family-based dialogue and deliberation.
His main message was clear: young Papuans should actively participate in development rather than remain passive observers, contributing to the solutions for their communities’ challenges.
Keerom: Unity begins in the village
In Keerom, a regency bordering Papua New Guinea, a similar message resonated.
On October 28, Elseng tribal chief Ismail Ulop joined community members in a Youth Pledge Day activity at Arsopura village in Skanto district. Approximately 50 people attended the gathering, which focused on preserving customary traditions and local languages, strengthening brotherhood, and building peaceful villages.
Ulop described the event as an expression of concern for others and an opportunity to bring customary leaders, young people, government representatives, and residents closer together.
Participants also distributed packages of basic food supplies, including rice, as part of a social assistance activity. The initiative linked the commemoration’s message of unity to a direct form of community support.
In a border community, where local relationships and cooperation are essential to everyday life, such activities show how national commemorations can be connected with practical community needs.
The event also underlined the importance of preserving local languages and traditions as part of the younger generation’s inheritance. Cultural continuity, in this context, is not presented as a barrier to progress but as a foundation for social cohesion.
Youth must actively participate in economic development
Calls for unity have been accompanied by a second, equally important theme: young Papuans need realistic opportunities to learn, work, start businesses, and participate in decisions affecting their future.
Merauke highlighted this issue, as development opportunities have renewed attention to the relationship between economic growth and local capacity.
Merauke: From spectators to development partners
On October 28, Emanuel Talpia Yolmen, chairman of the Ikatan Mahasiswa-Pelajar Kalai Anim (IMPKA) in Wanam, Merauke, spoke at a national dialogue organized by the Merah Pusaka Stratejik Indonesia Foundation.
The event, titled “Youth Pledge National Dialogue: The Voice of Papuan Youth,” carried the theme “Encouraging Local Youth to Become Actors in Development.”
Yolmen argued that the spirit of the 1928 Youth Pledge must be translated into opportunities for young people to improve their abilities, protect their cultural identity, and contribute directly to development in their home region.
He stressed that infrastructure and investment alone should not determine whether development is successful. Improvements in local living standards, employment opportunities, and the ability of indigenous youth to enter strategic economic sectors are also important measures.
Merauke, he said, has substantial natural resources and development potential. However, investment in human resources, including education, vocational training, technology skills, and entrepreneurship, must match these opportunities.
Yolmen also called for youth organizations to move beyond internal activities and become spaces for leadership development, learning, solidarity, and community service.
He emphasized that modern education and the preservation of Malind culture should reinforce one another. Young people should be able to compete in a changing economy without losing their language, customs, and inherited knowledge.
His message also raised an important question for policymakers and businesses: how can development create more opportunities for local people to become skilled professionals, entrepreneurs, teachers, technical experts, and future leaders?
Yolmen urged regional governments, educational institutions, and the business sector to expand access to education, employment training, business mentoring, and opportunities for young people to participate in development planning.
He believes the challenge lies in preparing local communities to benefit from economic change and equipping them to help shape it.
Education as the foundation of opportunity
Alberth Merauje, a member of the Papua provincial legislature from the NasDem Party faction, also raised the need to widen educational access.
In comments reported by Pasific Pos on October 28, Merauje called for stronger support for young people, particularly Indigenous Papuans and those from economically disadvantaged families.
He said youth development should cover education, health, employment, and entrepreneurship rather than focusing on a single policy area.
Merauje also called for regional regulations and programs tailored to Papua’s circumstances, arguing that the implementation of national youth policy should take local needs into account.
Beyond formal education, he identified agriculture, livestock, fisheries, and the processing of natural resources as sectors that could offer opportunities for young people. Support such as funding, seeds, technical assistance, and business mentoring could help youth groups turn local resources into productive activities.
He also encouraged youth organizations in schools, universities, religious communities, and neighborhoods to become platforms for creativity, friendship, environmental awareness, and social responsibility.
For Merauje, participation in development should include constructive communication with government institutions and engagement with programs intended to improve public welfare.
His appeal reflects a broader point: young people need both the opportunity to develop their skills and a clear path to apply them.
Employment and Youth Well-Being Remain Key Concerns
The economic dimension of Youth Pledge Day was particularly prominent in Papua Barat, where youth representatives called for wider access to employment.
Sammy Djunire Saiba, chairman of the Papua Barat branch of the Indonesian National Youth Committee (KNPI), said the 2026 commemoration should encourage the government to expand job opportunities and address social problems affecting young people.
Speaking after the anniversary ceremony at the Papua Barat governor’s office on October 28, Saiba argued that limited employment opportunities and economic hardship could contribute to social problems among young people.
He called for a broader range of career opportunities so that young people would not feel that their only viable options were to become civil servants or join the Indonesian National Armed Forces or National Police.
Private companies, businesses, and other economic sectors, he said, should also provide opportunities for young people to develop their abilities and build productive careers.
Saiba encouraged the younger generation to remain optimistic and active in constructive activities, even when facing economic difficulties. He also urged young people to avoid drugs and excessive alcohol consumption, which can undermine health, productivity, and future prospects.
His remarks connected youth welfare with the wider conditions needed for regional development. Employment policies, skills development, and community-based support can help young people find constructive ways to participate in society.
At the same time, his appeal places responsibility on young people to make positive choices and maintain solidarity within their communities.
Digital Awareness and Peaceful Dialogue in a Changing Society
As young Papuans navigate social media and new technologies, community leaders have also highlighted the importance of critical thinking and responsible communication.
Nehemia Ronsumbre, a customary figure associated with the Mananwir-Er Beba community, urged young people to assess information carefully, especially content circulating on social media. He encouraged them to avoid being influenced by unverified information and to use technology to improve their knowledge and skills.
The message is increasingly relevant in an environment where online content can spread rapidly and where misleading information can deepen misunderstandings between groups.
Responsible digital participation does not mean avoiding difficult discussions. It means checking information, considering context, and communicating without unnecessarily escalating tensions.
In Puncak Jaya, community and religious figure Kirenius Telenggen similarly called for security and public order to be maintained through the involvement of the wider community.
He said responsibility for a safe environment should not rest solely with security personnel. Religious leaders, customary figures, community representatives, and young people all play important roles in preventing tensions and fostering peaceful development.
Telenggen urged the resolution of disputes through communication and peaceful approaches that prioritize shared interests. His appeal reinforced the principle that dialogue and public participation can complement formal efforts to maintain security.
Together, these messages present peace not simply as the absence of conflict, but as a condition built through trust, communication, informed decisions, and cooperation.
Turning Commemorations into Lasting Progress
The range of messages delivered during Youth Pledge Day 2026 points to a shared understanding of the role young people can play in Papua’s future.
Customary leaders have emphasized cultural continuity, respect for elders, and peaceful solutions to disagreements. Youth representatives have called for more education and employment opportunities. Legislators have emphasized the necessity of practical programs that allow young people to develop their skills and use local resources productively.
These priorities closely connect. Education can improve access to employment, while productive economic participation can strengthen young people’s confidence and their capacity to contribute to their communities. Cultural knowledge can help people get along with each other, and peaceful conversation can make it possible for schools, businesses, public services, and development projects to work well.
For the Indonesian government and regional administrations, the messages also underline the importance of translating broad development commitments into accessible opportunities. That means aligning education and vocational training with local economic needs, improving support for youth-led enterprises, and ensuring that young people can contribute to community programs and local decision-making.
Such efforts require sustained cooperation among government institutions, customary organizations, educational providers, businesses, and youth groups. A commemorative event can help set the direction, but lasting results depend on what follows.
Conclusion
The 98th anniversary of Indonesia’s Youth Pledge has given Papua’s community leaders and young people a platform to articulate a common aspiration: a region where unity is strengthened, traditions are respected, disagreements are addressed peacefully, and development creates meaningful opportunities for the next generation.
The statements from Jayapura, Keerom, Biak Numfor, Merauke, and Papua Barat show that patriotism can be expressed through practical service, cultural preservation, education, entrepreneurship, and constructive participation in public life.
For young Papuans, the challenge is to turn these messages into daily action by building skills, supporting their neighbors, using technology responsibly, and contributing to their communities. For government institutions and the private sector, the challenge is to ensure that these ambitions are matched by fair access to education, employment, training, and opportunities for leadership.
Youth Pledge Day is a reminder that national unity is sustained not by slogans alone, but by trust, shared responsibility, and the ability of people from different backgrounds to work towards common goals.
If the calls made during the 2026 commemoration lead to sustained programs and wider participation, young Papuans can become increasingly influential partners in building a peaceful, culturally confident, and economically resilient future for Papua and Indonesia.
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