The National Monument (Monas) park got a major clean Sunday, with some 2,500 volunteers pitching in to beautify the landmark as a gift to Jakarta for its 482nd anniversary.
The volunteers, divided into 10 groups, cleaned different zones of the 80-hectare area.
"Why did we choose Monas? Because we want to give Jakarta a present on its birthday by cleaning its most popular icon," said Furiyanti, a member of the event organizing committee.
It was the final event of the month-long celebrations held to mark World Environment Day, which fells on June 4.
Being a focus point of the city and one of it's only parks, the shabby condition of Monas has been the subject of complaints in recent years.
Furi said the volunteers were not just picking up trash, but sorting organic and inorganic waste for recycling.
"We plant the organic waste into bio-pores that we create around the park, and give the inorganic waste to environment groups to recycle," she said.
She said the initiative was expected to encourage other people to help keep the city's largest park clean.
"We want to be the agent of change and we hope all participants will continue this effort in their homes."
Governor Fauzi Bowo attended the event, where he expressed his concerned about Monas visitors littering the park. Every week, 40 trucks of garbage are removed from the park.
"If we let them litter everywhere, our efforts to keep this park clean will be useless. Let's change this habit," Fauzi said.
The governor presented environmental awards to three Jakartans for their contribution to tidy up the city at the event.
Ida Suwardiyah from the Kapuk Muara subdistrict was awarded for her relentless efforts to clean her neighborhood by creating bags from used packages.
Awards were also given to Dwijo from Lodan, North Jakarta, for recycling paper waste and to Ninik Nuryanto for her active role in managing Kampung Wisata Argo Rawajati, a tourist destination in South Jakarta.
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