The night before Indonesia's Independence Day carries its own tradition in Yogyakarta. Residents gather, offer prayers, and remember the struggles of the nation's forebears. Known as Malam Tirakatan, this tradition offers a space to give thanks for independence while also reflecting on today's generation's responsibility to carry forward the ideals of the nation's founders.

This tradition was also revived by UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta. Members of the academic community gathered for Malam Tirakatan at the UIN Sunan Kalijaga Mosque on Sunday night, August 16, 2026, ahead of the commemoration of the 81st anniversary of Indonesia's independence.

Also in attendance was UIN Sunan Kalijaga Rector Prof. Noorhaidi Hasan, joined by the Vice Rectors, the Chair of the Senate, Bureau Heads, deans, lecturers, education staff, and students.

In his remarks, the Rector said the gathering was a moment to give thanks for the nation's journey while also remembering the sacrifices that brought Indonesia to independence.

“This gathering is one expression of our gratitude that Indonesia, the country we love, the land where we live and dedicate ourselves, has now reached 81 years of age,” he said.

He invited the entire academic community to understand independence not merely as a historical achievement, but as a trust that must continue to be safeguarded and given meaning. Shared prayer and effort, he said, are needed so that independence can continue to be upheld and Indonesia can keep achieving in every field of life.

This kind of reflection matters, Prof. Noorhaidi said, because Indonesia's independence was born out of a long journey. The nation's founding figures fought for independence through many different paths, diplomacy and politics, as well as struggles in the economic sphere and beyond.

That struggle did not end with the Proclamation of Independence on August 17, 1945. The Dutch attempt to reclaim control of Indonesia after the proclamation was met with resistance from every corner of the country, continuing until the transfer of sovereignty in 1949. Thousands of lives were the price paid to defend the independence that had already been proclaimed.

“For that reason, Malam Tirakatan becomes an opportunity to treat history not merely as a memory of the past, but as a foundation for recognizing the responsibility of today's generation,” he said.

The Rector invited the entire academic community to offer prayers for the fighters who sacrificed their lives in the struggle. Prayer, he said, is a way of honoring those who fought to defend Indonesia's independence.

“We also pray that those of us living today are able to carry forward the ideals of the proclamation of independence pioneered by the nation's founders. So let us fill this independence with our very best effort, and give our best contribution in our own respective fields,” he said.

This message also placed a broader responsibility on universities. A campus, he said, cannot be satisfied with simply producing intelligent people; it also needs to produce a generation capable of reading the issues at hand, speaking up when the public interest is at stake, and bringing about real change.

Education, in the end, is not just about mastering knowledge. It also shapes how a person takes a stand and uses their abilities to benefit others. Indonesia, after all, is not short on intelligent people. What it needs are people capable of using their intelligence for the common good.

This idea intersects with the direction of national development, which places human resource development at the center of Indonesia's future. For universities, that means continuing to build an educational environment that produces people who are knowledgeable, capable of critical thought, and genuinely concerned about the nation's challenges.

Tirakatan at the UIN Sunan Kalijaga Mosque became a space that brought together gratitude, historical memory, and a renewed commitment to service. Independence does not end with the events of August 17, 1945; it continues to find new meaning through what today's generation chooses to do.

In that sense, being “independent” means making sure that the knowledge, education, and service carried out today help move Indonesia toward a more civilized future. (humassk)