Antara News, Thursday, April 8, 2010 14:23 WIB
Ambon, Maluku (ANTARA News) - The date of Sail Banda launching in the East Indonesian city of Ambon has been changed from April 17 to April 15, 2010.
Maluku Deputy Governor Said Assegaf said here on Thursday that the launching of Sail Banda was moved forward from April 17 to April 15 at the request of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad.
Assegaf said the maritime affairs and fisheries minister would launch the event at night around the monument of world peace gong, but if the location is too small to accommodate the guests and sympathizers attending the ceremony, it will be moved to Merdeka Square.
He said an open invitation would be issued to the people of Maluku so that they could attend the launching ceremony and interact with a number of ministers.
"The people of Maluku will be invited because they are expected to participate in making the international marine event of Sail Banda 2010 a success," Assegaf said.
He hoped that the Sail Banda launching would not be conducted in a formal ceremony but in a casual manner, so that the people from all walks of life could enjoy its atmosphere.
Assegaf said the people attending the Sail Banda launching ceremony were expected to be part of it and mingled with other ministers and invited parties.
Meanwhile, the launching of Sail Banda in Ambon will be highlighted by traditional dances from Kisar island in Southwest Maluku (MBD) district.
Maluku provincial administration assistant Pieter Norimarna recently highlighted the launching of Sail Banda 2010, scheduled for July to August this year.
"Governor Karel Albert Ralahalu wants the traditional dances from Kisar to mark the launching of Sail Banda to convince the international community that the small island in MBD actually has valuable cultural assets to support tourism in the district," Norimarna said.
He said Kisar was during the pre-independence era once controlled by the Portuguese and therefore necessary arrangements had been made to promote the island to the international community during Sail Banda.
