Seven countries to join BIF 2003

Seven countries to join BIF 2003

SEMARANG, Central Java: At least seven Asian and European countries are to join this year's Borobudur International Festival (BIF), which features art and tourism exhibitions in mid-2003, announced the organizing committee in Semarang.

Festival spokesman Anwar Cholil said on Wednesday that the seven new participating nations were Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, India, South Korea, Japan and Italy, while more Asian countries with ties to the Buddhist temple were expected to join the cultural festival.

The BIF is scheduled to be opened officially by President Megawati Soekarnoputri on June 14.

Exhibition participants of the BIF, said Cholil, would come from all Indonesian provinces and the participating countries, as well as from individuals and businesses of 35 cities and regencies in Central Java. -- Antara