Mataram To Host International Celebrations Of lunar New Year

Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, Jan 20 (Antara)- The West Nusa Tenggara city of Mataram will host this year international celebrations of Chinese lunar new year to be held on February 20. Head of the city tourism office H Abdul Latif Nadjib predicted more than 5,000 people from various countries and other areas of Indonesia would flock to Mataram to take part in the celebrations. "It is the first Lunar new year celebrations internationally organized and the city of Mataram is honored to host the celebrations," Abdul Latif said here on Wednesday. The decision naming Mataram as the host was made at a coordinating meeting with the Chinese Consulate General in Bali on Tuesday. It was also decided that the international celebrations of Lunar new year would be held annually. Latif said Mataram would be ready to host the international festivities . "The mayor (Mataram city mayor Hajj Putu Selly Andayani) has asked us to start preparation and invite artists and the public to take part," he said. According to plan, the Lunar new year will fall on February 8, but the celebrations would be held on February, 20. The celebrations would be highlighted with social activities such as blood donation and entertainment including circus brought in from China. There will be 1,000 paper lanterns to be lighted along the street of AA Gede Ngurah Cakranegara , a Chinese town in the city where the celebration would be centered . Latif said the celebrations would contribute to promoting regional tourism.