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Gloria joins Paskibraka team in afternoon ceremony
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Gloria Natapradja Hamel joined the national flag-hoisting team (Paskibraka) in the flag-lowering ceremony in the 71st Independence Day celebration at the State Palace on Wednesday afternoon. Gloria finally joined her team for the afternoon ceremony after her inauguration as a Paskibraka member was canceled due to citizenship issue. (The Jakarta Post/Seto Wardhana)
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tudent Gloria Natapraja Hamel wore a proud smile as she joined the national flag-hoisting team (Paskibraka) in the flag-lowering ceremony in the 71st Independence Day celebration at the State Palace on Wednesday afternoon.
The 16-year-old girl from Depok, West Java, finally joined her team after she obtained permission from President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo during a meeting earlier in the afternoon. Jokowi and Vice President Jusuf Kalla met with Gloria and told her that she could join the Bima team in the flag-lowering ceremony at 5 p.m. Gloria's inauguration as a Paskibraka member was canceled after it became known that she had a French passport. Gloria was born to an Indonesian mother and a French father.
In the afternoon ceremony, Acehnese student Cut Aura Magfirah Putri was assigned to carry the national flag. Meanwhile, three members of the Bima team who lowered the national flag were Ilham Massaid, Alldi Padlyma Allamurochman and Amarik Fakhri Marliansyah.
This year's Independence Day celebration was more festive as for the first time the original national flag was transported from the National Monument (Monas) to the State Palace in the morning in the horse-drawn Ki Jaga Raksa carriage.
Another unique feature to mark the celebration was an open stage on Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara in front of the palace, on which prominent singers and bands such as Raisa, Oppie Andaresta, Slank and Nidji performed. The street in front of the palace is usually off bounds to the public. (rin)
