Prabowo Subianto, Indonesia’s Defense Minister and President-elect, was present at the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics, which took place on the Seine River in Paris on Friday, July 26, 2024, at 7:30 PM local time. Despite the rain, Prabowo stood on the riverbank wearing a transparent raincoat, waving and offering words of encouragement to the Indonesian contingent as they marched past during the parade of participating nations.
The Indonesian contingent, consisting of fourteen athletes including Chef de Mission Anindya Bakrie, flag bearer Maryam March Maharani, cyclist Bernard Benjamin van Aert, and swimmers Azzahra Permatahani and Joe Aditya, looked sporty and elegant in outfits designed by Didit Hediprasetyo, inspired by Raden Saleh. The uniforms featured red and white hues along with Javanese blangkon.
The unique feature of the Paris 2024 opening ceremony was the parade being held along the Seine River with athletes traveling on 85 boats, passing by famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral. The Olympics will continue until August 11, 2024, with athletes from all over the world competing in various sports.