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By APD Writer Maverick
JAKARTA, Aug. 31 (APD) — Indonesia, which was chosen as honorary guest country, would send big cultural mission in the upcoming 26th Europalia Festival, a landmark biennial European arts event which was founded in 1969.
Indonesia becomes the fourth honorary guest country invited by Europalia organizer to showcase its national tradition and cultural heritages and performances for European arts enthusiasts after the previous honorary guest countries China, India and Japan.
The 3-month long Europalia Festival this year, themed “Heritage, Contemporary, Creation, Exchange” is scheduled to be opened in Brussels, Belgium on October 10 with programs and related events would run until January next year in several European countries.
Besides introducing Indonesia’s traditions and cultural heritages, Indonesia Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said that government would use the event to promote national tourism in European countries.
“This event would be very effective to promote our tourism sector, highly expected to contribute the effort to attract more European visitors to Indonesia,” the minister said in his remarks in the session to launch Indonesia’s participation Europalia Festival on Thursday.
He said that his ministry has targeted Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Poland to tap potential visitors during the festival event.
The minister said some 2 million European visitors were targeted to arrive in Indonesia this year, higher than 1.6 million ones visited Indonesia last year.
Belgium Ambassador Patrick Herman, who was presented in the occasion, said that 50 European cities will partly host the Europalia festival which would feature around 300 programs.
“The festival was originally aimed at developing international network and cooperation between artists, curators and arts coordinators from Europe and the guest country in addressing cross- border cultural relationship,” Patrick said added.
Director General for Culture and Education at National Education Ministry Hilmar Farid said that Indonesian mission to Europalia would bring a ton of museum objects and at least 400 artists to perform throughout the event.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
