Fireworks light up the sky over Jakarta as revellers gather around the illuminated National Monument (Monas) to welcome the New Year on January 1, 2024. - Photo: AFP file
JAKARTA: Jakarta will mark its 498th anniversary this weekend with a renewed vision of transforming into a global center for trade, services, finance and business, even as the city faces persistent questions about its livability and its impending loss of capital status.
This year's celebration adopted the theme “Jakarta, a Global and Cultural City”, reflecting the city’s long-term ambition to evolve into a major international metropolis once it formally relinquishes its role as Indonesia’s capital.
