Indonesian Foundation To Hold Children's Festival

JAKARTA, Nov 10 (Antara) - An Indonesian foundation, Mekar Pribadim, will be holding the eighth children's festival on November 19-20, 2016 in Jakarta under the theme, Let's Love Environment. "This annual event is aimed at commemorating the World Children's Day on November 20. We are focusing on this theme to call upon the younger generation to take care of the environment," Mekar Pribadi's chairperson, Oetari Noor Permadi, said here on Wednesday. According to her, the festival will feature workshops, seminars, shows and competitions for school students from kindergarten to senior high school. She explained that the children were facing great challenges and, therefore, the Indonesian children should be equipped with cross-cultural knowledge. In addition, they should also be trained to become more confident and respectful of their own cultures and other people's cultures. "We hope they will be more open-minded and more sociable in global life," Oetari added. She informed that the foundation plans to organize the world children painting competition for school students from kindergarten to senior high school. Even children from abroad will participate in this event to be held in the months of June and July, 2017. The event is supported by the Foreign Affairs Ministry and other relevant institutions, and is a part of cultural diplomacy to develop a sense of appreciating culture among nations worldwide.