Charity night planned for Koran contest

Charity night planned for Koran contest

JAKARTA (JP): The committee of a Koran-reading contest will
hold a fund-raising night at the Grand Melia hotel here Thursday.

Lily Abdurrachman Sayoeti, the head of the organizing
committee, said Monday the Rp 4.5 billion (US$1.8 million) budget
was insufficient to cover the cost of the event to be held in
Jambi next month.

The committee, she said, would need extra funds to accommodate
the 1,250 participants from across the country and 1,750 visitors
from both home and overseas.

Lily, who is the wife of Jambi Governor Abdurrahman Sayoeti,
declined to say how much money was needed from the event. "We are
doing our best to raise as much as possible," she said.

She said some artists, including violinist Idris Sardi, noted
pop group Bimbo, and poet Taufiq Ismail would perform at the
event. Other events, she said, would include a local food and
crafts exhibition.

The contest, scheduled for July 6 to July 14, will be opened
by President Soeharto.

Other festivities to be held concurrently include an
exhibition from the National Islamic Museum and ASEAN art and
cultural shows. There will also be cultural performances from all
the Jambi regencies.

In the last contest, held in Riau in 1994, West Java won most
of the prizes. (11)