REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is scheduled to kick off a carnival dubbed "Wonderful Parahyangan," one of a series of activities organized to celebrate Indonesia's Independence Day.
The carnival would be held in Bandung, West Java, on Saturday (Aug 26), Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said in a statement here on Wednesday.
"The president will become a major endorser of the event that will promote Bandung and surrounding areas as tourist attractions," the minister stated.
The carnival themed "Lid The Fire of Spirit to Work Together," will feature various arts and culture across Indonesia, in particular West Java.
Among curators participating in organizing the carnival are Aat Suratin, Dynan Fariz, and Heru Mataya.
Suratin who is leading the curator team, noted that the carnival would highlight the need for Indonesians to maintain the spirit of working together ("gotong royong").
The organizing committee also involves organizers of other regional carnivals such as Jember Fashion Carnival (East Java Province), Solo Batik Carnival (Central Java Province), and Tomohon International Flower Festival (North Sulawesi).
"We will also feature several indigenous communities existing in West Java. According to our data, there are 20 traditional communities," he remarked.
Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil revealed that the carnival will send a message of biodiversity.
The carnival, which will begin at 8 a.m. local time and have 2.2 kilometer-long route, will also feature a number of animals.
It will start from Savoy Homann Hotel, proceed to Gedung Merdeka (Freedom Building), and finish in Bandung City Square.
Several Islamic boarding schools and representatives from 12 provinces will also perform in the carnival.
Teten Masduki, head of the Presidential Staff Office, explained that Jokowi will wear a Sundanese traditional dress and ride on a decorated vehicle during the carnival.
The first Independence Day carnival was organized in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, and was themed "Equatorial Carnival." In 2016, the second carnival was held in Parapat and Balige, North Sumatra Province, and dubbed "Wonderful Lake Toba" carnival.
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