Javanese Language Congress lures foreigners

YOGYAKARTA (JP): The United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, the Netherlands, Suriname and Malaysia are represented at the third Javanese Language Congress being held at the Ambarrukmo Palace Hotel from July 16 to July 21.

The six foreign participants are among the 700 people taking part in the congress.

The number of participants is almost twice as many as the organizing committee had been expecting.

"It's indeed very surprising. Until five days ago, there were only some 150 participants registered," said Ali Subchi, a member of the congress' organizing committee. He added that the committee had expected only some 400 participants.

Ali said the committee was working hard to accommodate the participants, and as of Monday evening there were still dozens of people arriving to register.

"Most of them came from outside the city. We are just trying hard to look for other hotels to accommodate them, as the Ambarrukmo is already fully booked," said Ali, adding that the committee was doing its best so it would not have to turn away anyone hoping to register for the congress.

Speaking at the congress, Minister of National Education Yahya A. Muhaimin said the Javanese language, like many other local languages in the country, had contributed a great deal to the development of Bahasa Indonesia, the official language of the country.

Yahya also said the government had the obligation to preserve local languages to maintain and preserve the different cultures of the nation.

President Abdurrahman Wahid opened the congress on Sunday evening in a ceremony held in the compound of the Yogyakarta Palace. (23)