Facts about Sumpah Pemuda Day You Should Know

Sumpah Pemuda Day October 28 is a national momentum that is celebrated every year. The big day is to celebrate the establishment of the youth pledge declared on October 28, 1928. The Sumpah Pemuda Organization was formed to preserve the unity and integrity of the nation. 

Sumpah Pemuda is a result of ​the 2nd Youth Congress which came from the Indonesian Student Association (PPPI), a youth organization consisting of students from all over Indonesia. At PPPI’s initiative, the congress was held in three different buildings and divided into three meetings.

Here are the three Sumpah Pemuda pledges in Indonesian spelling that were decided at the 2nd Youth Congress and are listed on the inscription on the wall of the Sumpah Pemuda Museum:

PERTAMA.

KAMI POETERA DAN POETERI INDONESIA,

MENGAKOE BERTOEMPAH DARAH JANG SATOE,

TANAH INDONESIA.

KEDOEA.

KAMI POETERA DAN POETERI INDONESIA,

MENGAKOE BERBANGSA JANG SATOE,

BANGSA INDONESIA.

KETIGA.

KAMI POETERA DAN POETERI INDONESIA,

MENDJOENDJOENG BAHASA PERSATOEAN,

BAHASA INDONESIA.

All participants at the 2nd Youth Congress were all young people from the western region to the eastern part of Indonesia. Even though the distance from their area to the congress venue in Batavia (Jakarta) was very far, especially in the past, transportation access was not as sophisticated and easy as it is now. However, because of their strong determination, these young men and women were able to travel a long way to actualize the unity of Indonesia’s young generation.

Banteng Square in Jakarta witnessed the first day of the 2nd Youth Congress, which held on Saturday, October 27, 1928. The exact location was in the Katholieke Jongenlingen Bond (KJB) Building. Then the 2nd Youth congress was held in three different places for 2 days (27-28 October 1928).

The reading of the Sumpah Pemuda took place at the Indonesische Clubhuis Kramat building, Indonesische Clubhuis Kramat building is a student dormitory belonging to a Chinese-born student named Sie Kok Liang. This building is also now used as the Sumpah Pemuda Museum which is located at Jalan Kramat Raya 106, Central Jakarta.

Another interesting fact is, the national song Indonesia Raya was sung for the first time to the public. The creator, Wage Rudolf Soepratman played the song in front of the congress participants with the lilting friction of his violin. After playing and listening to “Indonesia Raya” which has now become the national anthem of the Republic of Indonesia, the participants who were present also requested that the song be sung.

Happy Sumpah Pemuda Day, October 28, 2022. Be creative, achiever, inspire young people, and continue to work to make Indonesia proud. Let’s together advance the Indonesian nation with the spirit of youth!