Bali bamboo conference draws world's interest

JAKARTA (JP): Bamboo enthusiasts and environmentalists from all over the world are meeting in Bali for the fourth International Bamboo Congress, Workshop, and Festival.

The four-day conference, which begins in Ubud on June 19, will be marked by a gala benefit evening at the Four Seasons Resort on June 17, which will celebrate Indonesian art, culture, and fashion.

The conference, which will discuss the potential of bamboo as a more efficient timber substitute, is attracting international media attention. The international television broadcaster CNN will provide coverage of both the gala event and the conference. Elsa Klench of CNN Style will provide commentary on the fashion show, which will feature the collections of Biyan, Prajudi, and Ghea Sukarya.

"Bamboo, people and the environment" is the theme of the conference, but that will not be the focus of the fashion show.

"All the clothes will use Indonesian textiles", said Ghea Sukarya, "but they will not have a specifically bamboo-like character".

The accompanying music festival, featuring 27 groups of bamboo musicians and dancers from across the archipelago, will be more bamboo-oriented. MTV Asia is also expected to cover the event. Peter Gabriel is scheduled to make a CD recording of the event for his Real World music label.

The Environmental Bamboo Foundation and The International Bamboo Foundation of America are hosting the event, in co- operation with the Center for Research and Development in Biology, the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, and various state Ministries. Linda Garland, founder of the Environmental Bamboo Foundation and a world-renowned interior designer, hopes the event will promote the use of bamboo. At present, more than 5,000 uses have been identified for bamboo, ranging from industrial use to medicinal and food purposes.

Bamboo is the world's fastest growing plant and also one of its most durable products. Its elastic quality inspired the organizers to promote the use of bamboo for architecture in earthquake zones. Flores, the Eastern Indonesian island which recently experienced major earthquakes, is the first target of its bamboo farm development.

Toto Tasmara of the Humpuss Group, one of the conference's sponsors, said: "Part of the benefit's proceeds will go into funding bamboo farms in Flores and rebuilding the island with quake-resistant bamboo architecture." (Dini S. Djalal)