RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - In a vibrant display of cultural pride, thousands of women gathered in Palembang, South Sumatra, on Sunday, July 19, 2026, for a record‑breaking kebaya parade. The event sparked a nationwide call for women to wear, protect, and preserve the traditional attire as a symbol of unity and empowerment.

The event, titled Parade Perempuan Kebaya Kain Songket (Women’s Kebaya and Songket Fabric Parade), marked the 3rd National Kebaya Day and was held in the Palembang Car-Free Day zone.

Initiated by the South Sumatra Regional Leadership Council of Indonesian Women in Progress (DPP PIM), the rally officially broke a Museum Rekor Dunia Indonesia (MURI) record for the largest gathering of women wearing kebaya paired with traditional songket woven fabric.

Indonesian Women’s Congress (Kowani) General Chairwoman Nannie Hadi Tjahjanto expressed deep gratitude to the organizers, women’s groups, and participants for keeping national traditions vibrant and accessible.

“On behalf of the Indonesian Women’s Congress, I extend my highest appreciation to the committee, organizational leaders, and all Indonesian women who continue to maintain togetherness, strengthen unity, preserve the nation’s culture, and contribute to realizing advanced, independent, empowered, and character-driven Indonesian women,” Nannie said in an official statement received in Jakarta on Sunday, as quoted by Antara.

Nannie commended DPP PIM Chairwoman Lana T. Koentjoro and the Indonesian Kebaya National Team for their tireless advocacy in securing official state recognition for National Kebaya Day.

She noted that their movement demonstrates how unified action among women can transform a cultural idea into a nationally recognized milestone.

National Kebaya Day, formally designated under Presidential Decree No. 19/2023 to be observed every July 24, is more than a ceremonial fashion showcase. It serves as a crucial moment to reinforce national identity, elegance, and the historical struggle of Indonesian women.

Nannie traced the attire’s significance back to the 10th Kowani Congress in 1964, when thousands of women across the archipelago wore kebayas as a unified political and social statement.

The recognition was elevated in 2024 when the kebaya was inscribed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage through a joint multinational nomination with several Southeast Asian neighbors.

Beyond its cultural and historical value, the movement to wear kebayas and regional fabrics provides an economic boost to the grassroots creative sector. Continuous demand sustains traditional songket weavers, artisans, tailors, designers, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across provinces.

“Kebaya is not a cultural artifact to be stored and remembered, but a living heritage that must continue to be worn, introduced, developed, protected, and passed down to future generations,” Nannie concluded. ***