Bali to host world festival

JAKARTA (JP): Bali will host a world music festival from Dec. 23 through Jan. 3, 2000, to mark the turn of the century.

The "Sacred Rhythm" World Percussion Music Festival, supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), is expected to lure thousands of foreign tourists to Bali, according to Serano Sianturi, of the Titian Budaya Foundation, the organizing committee of the festival.

The festival, he said, will be held in conjunction with the United Nations program for the year 2000, which is being called the International Year of Culture and Peace, Antara reported.

He said that about 60 percussionists from 32 countries, among others the U.S., some African countries, Germany, Brazil, Turkey, Japan and Australia, had confirmed their participation in the upcoming festival.