On 17 August, MINURSO raised the national flag of Indonesia at its headquarters in Laayoune to celebrate the country’s Independence Day, which commemorates its declaration of independence in 1945.

Indonesia, the world’s largest archipelagic nation, is made up of more than 17,000 islands and is home to over 700 local languages and dialects in addition to the official language, Bahasa Indonesia.

As one of the top contributors to UN peacekeeping, Indonesia operates a major peacekeeping training center to prepare personnel for future UN deployments. As of 31 May 2025, 2764 Indonesian personnel are deployed worldwide, including three UNMOs with MINURSO.

On 17 August, the Republic celebrates its declaration of the national flag known as Sang Saka Merah Putih (the red and white) – a symbol of courage and the purity of spirit of its people.

Selamat Hari Nasional Indonesia!