Jayapura, Papua
Themed "Loving Culture for Our Future," Lake Sentani Festival (LSF) from June 19 to 23, 2010, will try to attract as many domestic and foreign tourists as possible.
Jayapura district head Habel Melkias Suwae said here on Sunday that preparations had been made for this annual cultural festivity.
He said this year`s event would be the third since its first one held in 2008, and will serve as a year-long gateway for the tourism industry in the Indonesian easternmost province, Papua.
In 2008, the Papua Tourism Office organized the first Lake Sentani Festival from July 16 to 19 that year to support the annual Lembah Baliem Festival in Jayawijaya district.
Since then, the LSF was held as an effort to protect the culture of Jayapura district, especially at the areas around Lake Sentani.
Located some 75 meters above sea level and surrounded by beautiful hills, the 3.63-hectare Lake Sentani is a perfect place for fishing, swimming, canoing, skiing, and other kinds of water sports.
"No wonder, Lake Sentani Festival will serve as a year-long gateway for the tourism industry in Jayapura district specifically and in Papua province in general," Habel Melkias Suwae said.
It means, he said, that in this case tourism will strengthen the identity of the people of Papua, preserve their traditional and cultural values, step up their economy.
Therefore, Habel added that the Jayapura district administration would make every effort to develop the attractive villages around Lake Sentani to constantly attract as many tourists as possible.
"This year`s Lake Sentani Festival is themed `Loving Culture for Our Future` because whoever loves and preserves traditional and cultural values, will also prepare the future of the future generation," Habel said.