The month of October stands as a historic monument to youth-driven political transformation. Decades and oceans apart, young visionaries in both Indonesia and Hungary seized this specific month to radically alter their nations’ trajectories. In 1928, Indonesian youth laid the groundwork for independence during an anti-colonial congress in Batavia. Twenty-eight years later, in 1956, Hungarian students took to the streets of Budapest to spark a revolution against Soviet tyranny. The events had different aims, but both show how a younger generation can challenge the status quo and help define what comes next.
Two moments, two histories
On 23 October 1956, university students took to the streets of Budapest demanding political reform, freedom of expression and the withdrawal of Soviet troops. What began as a student demonstration grew into a nationwide revolution. The uprising was eventually suppressed, but the courage of those who stood up for freedom remains central to Hungary’s modern history.
Indonesia’s story unfolded under different circumstances. On 27 and 28 October 1928, representatives of youth organisations gathered in Batavia, now Jakarta, for the Second Youth Congress. Coming from different regional, ethnic and religious backgrounds, they declared their commitment to one motherland, Indonesia; one nation, the Indonesian nation; and Indonesian as the language of unity. The declaration became known as Sumpah Pemuda, or the Youth Pledge.
Unity without giving up diversity
Indonesia was still under Dutch colonial rule, and independence would be proclaimed seventeen years later, in 1945. The pledge expressed a conviction that would help sustain the independence movement and did not erase regional identities or local cultures. Instead, it set out a shared national identity that could bring together young people from different regions, ethnic groups, religions and language communities. Thus, it strengthened the idea that diversity did not have to stand in the way of unity.
The movement had been building for years. The founding of Boedi Oetomo in 1908, the First Youth Congress in 1926 and the growth of youth organisations helped create links across the archipelago. At the 1928 Second Youth congress, participants included members of groups such as Jong Java, Jong Sumatranen Bond and Jong Celebes. They came from different backgrounds, and they agreed that these differences could coexist within a shared national identity. During the congress, composer Wage Rudolf Supratman played Indonesia Raya on the violin; the song later became Indonesia’s national anthem.
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What these histories mean for young people today
The Hungarian Revolution and the Indonesian Youth Pledge should not be treated as equivalent events. In 1956, Hungarian students challenged political repression and demanded freedom. In 1928, Indonesian youth sought to build a common national identity under colonial rule. Their political circumstances and immediate goals were different. The connection lies in the role young people played; they refused to leave questions about their countries’ futures to others.
That message still resonates. Young people today face questions about education, jobs, the environment and their place in society. Remembering the October anniversaries means more than looking back; it also means giving young people opportunities to speak, take part in decisions and turn ideas into action.
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Bringing Indonesian and Hungarian young people closer
The connection between Indonesia and Hungary can also grow through everyday encounters between their people. Scholarships and cultural programmes provide a practical starting point. Through Darmasiswa, Hungarians can explore Indonesian language and culture, while Stipendium Hungaricum offers Indonesian students opportunities to pursue higher education in Hungary.
People-to-people ties take shape beyond scholarship announcements. They grow when students share a classroom, work on an assignment, learn a new language or explain a custom to a friend. An Indonesian student adjusting to a Budapest winter and a Hungarian student learning to order food in Indonesian may seem like small moments, but such experiences can replace assumptions with understanding.
The Embassy of Indonesia in Budapest supports these connections through cooperation with universities, Indonesian-language classes and cultural activities. Experiences with gamelan music and traditional Indonesian dance can introduce Hungarian participants to parts of Indonesia that they may not encounter through tourism or news coverage alone. More opportunities for students and communities to meet can help make the relationship between the two countries tangible in daily life.
Remembering the past, creating the future
With Hungary’s 23 October commemoration coming just five days before Indonesia’s Youth Pledge Day, the calendar offers a timely invitation for people in both countries to learn about each other’s history. The two anniversaries do not tell the same story, but they offer a shared starting point for conversations about courage, identity and participation.
The legacy of the young people of 1956 and 1928 is not only something to commemorate but also to show what can happen when young people believe that their voices matter. By investing in education, cultural exchange and joint projects, Indonesia and Hungary can help a new generation build friendships, and these connections offer a practical way to turn respect for the past into cooperation for the future.
