Thousands of Jakartans across the city prepared Tuesday night to celebrate the inauguration of President Barack Obama, now the 44th president of the United States, in the city he called home for four years.
Love you Barry: Yustina Amirah (in yellow), the principal of St. Fransiskus ASISI elementary school and Fermina Katarina Sinaga (to her left), a former teacher of US President-elect Barack Obama, pose with their students in front of the school in Tebet, South Jakarta, on Tuesday. Obama studied at the school from 1968 to 1970. (JP/P.J. Leo)
On Jl. Besuki in Central Jakarta, party preparations were almost complete at Obama's former state elementary school SDN Menteng 01.
The school will welcome the American Ambassador to Indonesia Cameron R. Hume as well as president Obama’s former classmates, local dignitaries and national and international media on Wednesday, organizers confirmed.
The school choir will perform for guests, and students will present letters to the US Ambassador.
The letters, from their classmates, are addressed to president Obama and urge closer ties between Indonesia and America.
Student Alsya Nadine said she was “very proud and happy” to be attending the same school as the incoming president once did, and hoped Obama would one day visit Indonesia.
“Of course he will come visit us. I hope Indonesia and American can work together and make plans to change the world,” she said.
Elsewhere in the city, early rising Obama enthusiasts attended the American Chamber of Commerce’s “Breakfast for Barack” at the JW Marriot Hotel, featuring a panel discussion with speakers including former Indonesian Ambassador to the United States Arifin Siregar, businessman James Castle and Jusuf Wanandi, chairman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Similar events were scheduled for Tuesday night, with Democrats Abroad Indonesia hosting a free event at the JW Marriot, while attendees at the exclusive “Friends of Obama Inaugural Ball” at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel included Hume and special guest Maya Soetoro-Ng, Obama's half-sister. Tickets for the ball were priced between Rp 1 million and Rp 2 million (US$180).
Celebrations were also ongoing at the Fransiskus Asisi Catholic School, Central Jakarta, where Obama enrolled before attending SDN Menteng in the same area as a third grader.
Tuesday night, around 250 Asisi students gathered at the school hall to watch Obama’s inauguration ceremony. “We will replay the record of the inauguration on Wednesday for those who miss the show tonight,” Asisi principal Yustina Amirah told the Post.
She said that after the show, students would set up a large banner offering a congratulatory message to be shown on Obama’s website.
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