Independence Is Meant to Be Celebrated Together
Every August, the atmosphere across Indonesia changes.
Red and white flags begin to decorate streets and neighborhoods. Community spaces are filled with festive decorations. Children and adults gather to participate in traditional competitions. Neighbors work together to prepare celebrations. And at the heart of it all, one element is almost always present: togetherness.
For Indonesians, Independence Day is more than a moment to commemorate the nation’s historic struggle. It is also an opportunity to reconnect, interact, and celebrate the sense of belonging to a larger community.
That is why August 17 competitions have become such a familiar part of Indonesia’s Independence Day tradition.
But what makes these seemingly simple games remain relevant across generations?
From Community Games to a Tradition of Togetherness
Sack races, tug of war, cracker eating competitions, climbing the pinang tree, and various creative contests have long been associated with Independence Day celebrations across Indonesia.
Interestingly, most of these activities share one common characteristic.
They bring people together.
Some participate as competitors. Others become organizers. Some prepare the equipment. Others cheer from the sidelines. Even competitions that are individually focused are surrounded by interaction and collective enthusiasm.
That is why August 17 competitions are more than just games.
They create opportunities for sportsmanship, participation, creativity, spontaneity, and social interaction.
In workplace environments, Independence Day activities can also become a space to strengthen relationships, social connections, physical wellbeing, and a sense of togetherness among employees.
In other words, the excitement we see on the surface carries a deeper social meaning.
When the Spirit of Independence Enters the Workplace
So, what does all of this have to do with the corporate environment?
Within an organization, people do not work based solely on their job descriptions.
An organization is also shaped by how people interact, collaborate, communicate, and feel connected to something larger than themselves.
This is where corporate culture becomes important.
Corporate culture is not simply a collection of values displayed on office walls or written in company documents. Culture is shaped through everyday experiences and behaviors experienced by the people within an organization.
Research from Gallup highlights the relationship between employees’ connection to organizational culture and important workplace outcomes such as engagement, wellbeing, retention, and performance.
This is where seemingly simple activities such as Independence Day celebrations can play a role.
Not because a competition automatically makes an organization more productive.
Rather, informal spaces for interaction can help strengthen the human relationships that form the foundation of collaboration at work.
In a large organization, employees from different functions may not always have opportunities to interact beyond their respective responsibilities.
A competition creates a different kind of space.
There is no meeting room.
No presentation deck.
No business target to discuss.
Instead, there are colleagues supporting one another, laughing together, competing in good spirit, and creating shared experiences.
And these shared experiences can gradually strengthen a sense of belonging.
The Spirit of August 17 at Borwita
As part of the Borwita Citra Prima family, this spirit was also reflected in Borwita’s Independence Day celebrations this year.
At the head office, the celebration featured a variety of activities designed to combine competition with togetherness.
One of them was a sarong badminton tournament, where participants had to adapt their playing style while wearing traditional sarongs, creating an entertaining yet challenging twist on the sport.
There was also Ping Pong, which tested participants’ focus, coordination, and ability to perform under pressure.
Then came Beauty Under Pressure, a competition that brought creativity, confidence, and the courage to perform into the celebration.
The festivities continued with a tumpeng decorating competition, giving teams an opportunity to express their creativity while working together.
At first glance, each competition may appear to have a different character.
But when viewed from a broader perspective, they share one common thread:
people coming together.
There is collaboration.
There is creativity.
There is sportsmanship.
There is the courage to participate.
And, of course, there are countless opportunities to support one another.
More importantly, the spirit did not stop at the head office.
Various Borwita branches also celebrated Independence Day through their own exciting competitions and activities.
Each branch brought its own character and atmosphere to the celebration, while remaining connected by the same spirit: celebrating Independence together as one Borwita family.
From Competition to Connection
There is an interesting perspective we can take from these activities.
In everyday work, competition is often associated with achieving targets.
During Independence Day celebrations, however, competition serves a different purpose.
It becomes a medium for connection.
People play together.
People laugh together.
People support one another.
People discover different sides of their colleagues.
And when people understand one another better, opportunities for collaboration can become stronger.
Gallup’s research on high performing teams highlights elements such as collaboration, inclusion, belonging, meaningful relationships, recognition, and continuous development as important aspects of strong team experiences.
This means that building a strong organization is not only about how work gets done.
It is also about how people build relationships that enable them to accomplish things together.
Celebrating Independence, Strengthening Togetherness
Ultimately, Borwita’s Independence Day celebration was not simply about who became the winner.
Nor was it about who was the fastest, most creative, or most competitive in a particular contest.
What matters more is the experience created throughout the process.
Because just as the spirit of independence continues to be passed down from one generation to another, organizational culture is not built in a single day.
It grows through habits.
Through the way people respect one another.
Through how collaboration is built.
Through the courage to participate.
And through shared experiences that make people feel they are part of the same journey.
For Borwita, as an FMCG Distributor Indonesia with people and operations across different regions, building unity does not mean making every branch exactly the same.
In fact, the diversity of activities across the head office and branches reflects the unique character of each part of the organization.
What connects them is the spirit behind the celebration.
The spirit to move forward together.
The spirit to support one another.
The spirit to continue growing as one family.
Because Independence is not something we celebrate only every August 17.
It is also a reminder that something meaningful and lasting requires many people to protect it, nurture it, and continue building it together.
And at Borwita, that spirit takes shape through people who do not simply work together, but also grow, collaborate, and celebrate the journey together.
