Bazaar at Istiqlal Festival

JAKARTA (JP): The second Istiqlal Festival on Islamic culture, to be held from Sept. 23 to Nov. 23, will feature a handicraft and food bazaar.

The food bazaar will feature various kinds of traditional edibles from all 27 provinces across the country. "Food from some Moslem countries will also be on display at the bazaar," Eti Mar'ie Mohammad, the chairperson of the bazaar organizing committee, told reporters on Thursday.

As one of the festival's highlights, the food bazaar is being held primarily to market halal (permitted by Islamic religion) food and beverages and other specific Islamic articles such as headdresses, items used for praying, and books on Islam, said Mrs. Eti, who is also wife of Finance Minister Mar'ie Mohammad.

The organizers are currently setting up stands for participants of the bazaar in the Istiqlal Mosque compound.

To help visitors find the stands they want to visit, the festival arena will be divided into sections for foreign participants, regional participants, published and printed articles, handicrafts, specific Moslem items and food and beverages.

The bazaar will also feature demonstrations of cooking and handicraft making.(29)