Int'l arts festival to be held here soon

JAKARTA (JP): The 8th Jakarta International Festival (Jakfest'97) will be held from June 23 to June 29.

Dance shows, music and handicraft exhibitions will be presented by 17 countries including Indonesia at the cultural exchange forum.

It is jointly arranged by the city and Garuda Indonesia Airlines.

The 17 countries include Australia, the Netherlands, the People's Republic of China, the Philippines and India, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Singapore, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Indonesia.

The performances will be staged at Erasmus Huis, the Dutch cultural center in South Jakarta; Ancol art market in North Jakarta; the Gedung Kesenian Jakarta and Jakarta Convention Center in Central Jakarta.

Ita Munaf, the festival organizing committee's chairperson, said the performances were free of charge, and would include a cultural procession on June 29 from the National Monument square to a stage in front of Sari Pan Pacific Hotel.

Vietnam, Indonesia and the Netherlands will present musical performances.

Vietnam will send a 20-member delegation from the Thai Binh Art Troupe, presenting Folk Songs of the North Delta.

Indonesian troupes will present rampak kendang from Sumatra, the Betawi jaipong, and the Acehnese seman dances.

Ita, who is from the Jakprom Foundation, or the Jakarta Promotion Board, said films from several countries would be screened at Gedung Kesenian Jakarta from June 23 to June 25.

"These are also open to public and free of charge," Ita said. (03)