Pancasila Day in Indonesia honors the founding philosophy of Indonesia, introduced by Sukarno in 1945. The five principles (belief in one God, humanity, unity, democracy, and social justice) serve as the nation's moral and ideological foundation, promoting unity in diversity and national harmony.

When is Pancasila Day?

Pancasila Day in Indonesia is observed on June 1 each year.

The following is the list of Pancasila Day from 2020 to 2049.

The History of Pancasila Day?

Pancasila Day commemorates the birth of Indonesia's foundational ideology, known as Pancasila, meaning "Five Principles" in Sanskrit. It originated from a historic speech delivered by Sukarno, Indonesia's founding father and later its first president, on June 1, 1945, during a meeting of the Investigating Committee for Preparatory Work for Indonesian Independence (BPUPKI) in Jakarta.

At that time, Indonesia was still under Japanese occupation near the end of World War II. The BPUPKI was established to prepare the groundwork for an independent Indonesian state.

During the session, Sukarno presented his vision for the philosophical foundation of the soon-to-be independent nation. He proposed Pancasila, a set of five guiding principles meant to unite the archipelago's diverse ethnic, religious, and cultural groups under a single national identity.

The five principles he introduced were:

– Belief in One Supreme God
– Just and Civilized Humanity
– The Unity of Indonesia
– Democracy Guided by Inner Wisdom
– Social Justice for All Indonesians

These principles reflected Sukarno's effort to harmonize Indonesia's immense diversity, bridging differences in religion, ethnicity, and ideology, into one coherent national philosophy.

Following Sukarno's speech, the BPUPKI and subsequent committees refined his ideas into the Preamble (Pembukaan) of the 1945 Constitution (UUD 1945). Pancasila became the official ideological foundation of the Republic of Indonesia when independence was proclaimed on August 17, 1945.

Sukarno promoted Pancasila as the spiritual and moral foundation of the young republic, symbolizing unity amidst Indonesia's pluralism. During his presidency, Pancasila was used to promote national solidarity and anti-colonial sentiment, though political challenges arose as Indonesia transitioned from revolution to statehood.

Beginning in the 1970s, all political and social organizations were required to adopt Pancasila as their guiding principle. The government emphasized Pancasila education in schools and workplaces, often using it as a tool for national integration and political control.

After Suharto's resignation in 1998, Indonesia entered the Reformasi (Reformation) era, characterized by democratization and decentralization. In 2016, President Joko Widodo officially declared June 1 as the Birth of Pancasila Day. The holiday was reinstated as a national day of reflection to strengthen national unity and reaffirm Indonesia's founding values.