Commemorating Vesak, Jakarta Lights Up with Illumination of Jakarta 2026
Reported by Budhi Firmansyah Surapati | Translated by Nugroho Adibrata
The Jakarta government presents 'Illumination of Jakarta 2026: Glow of Peace' at Bundaran HI, Menteng. Held in partnership with the Buddhist community, this initiative serves as part of the festivities marking the 2570 BE/2026 CE Tri Suci Vesak Day.
The core message is to showcase unity in the heart of the city
Jakarta Acting Governor, Rano Karno, noted that even though the national-level Vesak Day commemoration will be held at Borobudur Temple, Central Java, this Sunday (5/31), the Jakarta administration chose to schedule its activities earlier to serve as a prelude to the main celebration.
"The core message is to showcase unity in the heart of the city. This is why the tagline "Jaga Jakarta" (Protect Jakarta) was established—because Jakarta belongs to us all, and everyone shares the responsibility to safeguard it," he expressed, Friday (5/29).
IWDF 2026: Rano Karno Pushes Jakarta to Become a Global Cultural HubAccording to him, this follows a series of religious commemorations previously held by the administration, spanning from the Christmas Carol in December 2025 to Eid al-Fitr in March 2026.
Beyond promoting social harmony, Rano underscored that these religious events serve as a catalyst for economic growth. He pointed out that the series of events held from late 2025 through March 2026 contributed as much as Rp 67 trillion to the city’s economic circulation.
Additionally, this series of activities is aimed at strengthening Jakarta’s performance in the Global City Index to secure its position as a top-tier international hub. It also functions as a precursor to the city’s quincentenary (500th anniversary) in 2027.
To that end, each successfully executed event is being meticulously evaluated to ensure peak organizational standards as Jakarta approaches its 500-year milestone. According to him, the administration will now pivot its focus to the 499th Jakarta Anniversary festivities scheduled for the coming June.
"The Governor sends his greetings to the Buddhist family in Jakarta. It is our hope that this Vesak brings blessings to all of us," he stated.
