EIGHT COUNTRIES JOIN CROSS-CULTURE FESTIVAL IN SURABAYA

Surabaya, Oct 15 (ANTARA) - Representatives from eight countries are participating in a Cross-Culture Festival 2009 here from October 15-18, 2009, a local culture and tourism official said.

The eight countries are China, South Korea, India, France, Poland, Thailand, Ecuador, and Venezuela, according to Wiwiek Widayati, head of East Java culture and tourism office, said here Thursday.

"The delegations from the eight countries will present their typical dances, arts, and music," Widayati said after opening the festival.

She said the objective of the festival was to develop artistic and cultural values from various regions in Indonesia and abroad to realize the spirit of diversity.

"Through the Cross Culture Festival 2009 in Surabaya we want to realize the spirit of diversity," Widayati said.

Besides the eight countries, 14 districts and municipalities in Indonesia were also participating in the festival to perform their respective arts and culture.

She said the Indonesian participants are among others from the districts of Ponorogo, Probolinggo, Lamongan, Gresik, Jombang, Bantul, Palembang, Langsa, Serdang Badagai, Brebes, Jembrana, Waringin Timur, Semarang, and Manokwari.

According to Widayanti, the Cross Culture Festival 2009 was intended to introduce domestic arts and culture to the foreign participating countries.

"The festival is also intended to attract as many tourists as possible to visit Indonesia, especially Surabaya, East Java," she said, adding that the number of foreign tourists visiting Surabaya from 2007 to 2008 was significant.

She said domestic tourists visiting Surabaya in 2007 numbered about 2 million but foreign tourists who came to East Java's capital then totaled only 100,000.

In 2008, however, the numbers increased significantly, namely 7 million people for domestic tourists, and 150,000 for foreign tourists.

"Through this festival, we want Surabaya to be the window of arts and culture in East Java and Indonesia," she said, adding that the activities in the festival included a workshop on culture and art, a cow race in the Kenjeran area, and Yosakai dance.