VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

October 28 is commemorated as Youth Pledge Day or Sumpah Pemuda. Sumpah Pemuda is the pledge of the Indonesian youths who claim one blood, the land of Indonesia, one nation, the Indonesian nation, and uphold the language of unity, Indonesian language. The pledge was the result of the decision of the Pemoeda-Pemoedi or the Second Youth Congress which was held from 27 to 28 October 1928. This congress was initiated by the Indonesian Student Association (PPPI) and attended by youth organizations, such as Jong Java, Jong Sumatra, Jong Batak, Pemoeda Indonesia, Jong Islamieten, Jong Celebes, Sekar Rukun, Jong Ambon, and Pemuda Betawi. The second youth Congress was held in a building located on Jalan Kramat Raya, No.106 in Central Jakarta. This building is a museum called ‘Sumpah Pemuda Museum’ now. Kramat Raya 106 building is used as a museum because it has a series of historical journeys and is a witness to the long process of forming the spirit of struggle for Indonesian independence. At the place where the second youth Congress was held, the basic principles of Indonesian unity were discussed, formulated, and then the pledge was decided.

Sumpah Pemuda Museum has the main building consisting of front porch, one living room, 5 rooms, and one open room or meeting room that have related photo collections and stuffs with history of Sumpah Pemuda 1928, as well as activities in the Indonesian youth national movement. In 2007, the total number of the museum’s collections is 2,867. Among these collections, there are several interesting collections, such as the Youth Pledge Digital Comic and WR. Supratman’s violin. WR. Supratman is the composer of Indonesian national anthem, Indonesia Raya. With his violin, he played the Indonesia Raya for the first time at the Second Youth Congress.

The collections owned by the Sumpah Pemuda Museum are exhibited in a permanent exhibition room with an arrangement that follows the chronology of the Sumpah Pemuda events in order to describe the sequence of events. Right in front of the entrance, there is an introduction room. The collections include a map of Indonesia with the locations of regional youth organizations, a map of Jakarta showing the places where the second youth congress was held and its current condition, the committee of the second youth congress, the participating organizations of the youth congress and a mockup of the Sumpah Pemuda Building. Beside the introduction room, there is a room for growth of youth organizations. This room describes the early growth period of youth organizations that began the Indonesian Association in the Netherlands. In this room, visitors can also find realia in the form of scouting equipment used in the 1920s. There is the First Youth Congress room upstairs. In this room, the collections related to the First Indonesian Youth Congress are exhibited. Next, there is the Second Youth Congress room. In this room, a collection that describes the events of the Second Indonesian Youth Congress is exhibited. Then, there are the Young Indonesia room, the Indonesian Student Association Room (PPPI) and the thematic room. This student room presents a collection of youth movements after Sumpah Pemuda was sworn in. The PPPI room presents several collections related to the Association of Indonesian Students, after the Second Indonesian Youth Congress. The Thematic Room consists of two rooms, located in the pavilion of Gedung Kramat 106. This room presents several collections related to youth activities in 1945, 1966 and 1998.