Indonesia’s Independence Day commemorates the proclamation made on 17 August 1945.
Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta read the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence in Jakarta after the end of Japanese occupation during World War II. The declaration asserted Indonesia’s independence, although the Dutch later attempted to restore colonial control.
The anniversary is known as Hari Kemerdekaan, or Independence Day. Communities decorate streets with red-and-white flags, organize neighborhood competitions, and hold ceremonies honoring the national struggle. A formal state ceremony takes place at the Merdeka Palace.
Indonesia’s red-and-white national colors are central to the occasion. The independence proclamation and the subsequent revolution are sometimes treated as one event, but Indonesia’s sovereignty was formally recognized by the Netherlands only in 1949.