REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Association for International Sport for All (Tafisa) World Games 2016 scheduled to be held in Jakarta are expected to help strengthen the Indonesian sports culture and take it to the international arena.
"This is an opportunity for Indonesia. As the host of the Tafisa 2016, Indonesia has the opportunity to develop its sports culture and take it to an international level," the Secretary to the Minister of Youth and Sports, Alfitra Salamm, said here on Tuesday.
According to him, Tafisa World Games 2016, to be held from October 6 to 12 will introduce some Indonesian sports to the participants from 110 countries.
Indonesia's indigenous sports that will be introduced include stilts games, long sandals, kites, Lompat Batu Nias (traditional Nias Rock Jumping), traditional gymnastics and poco-poco gymnastics, cultural martial arts, old bikes (ontel), and traditional wrestling.
"Tafisa 2016 is an opportunity to introduce the Indonesian sports culture," Alfitra said.
When the Tafisa Games will be underway, the Jakarta provincial administration will introduce heritage areas currently being proposed to UNESCO, such as Kota Tua (the Old City) area.
The 6th Tafisa World Sport for All Games will be held under the patronage of UNESCO and IOC (the International Olympic Committee).
The sport competition acknowledges once again the important role that traditional sports and games play in shaping civilizations and cultures, national identities and cross-boundaries unity.