Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfare Agung Laksono flanked by Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad officially launched the Sail Wakatobi Belitong (SWB) or Sail Indonesia 2011 here Tuesday (June 7).The launching was expected to help promote the international event to the public worldwide, Minister Fadel said as quoted in a press release of the marine affairs and fisheries ministry here Wednesday.
The SWB 2011 is being held in Wakatobi, Southeast Sulawesi Province, and Belitung in Bangka Belitung (Babel) Province.
Minister Fadel has outlined four objectives of the marine event, namely: to make harmonization in benefiting the regions` potential for the welfare of the people; to promote Wakatobi and Belitung as domestic and international tourist destinations; to create the best sailing passange; and to make the marine and fishery potential in the two regions as a living source for the local people and the source of sustainable development in the regions.
The SWB 2011`s theme is "Clean Ocean for the Future" and it will have six main activities.
The six main activities are yacht rally and yacht race, a Bhakti Surya Baskara Jaya civic mission, national and international seminars, marine youth cross country, and an exhibition on small scale and medium businesses as well as fishery products.
The peak events, which President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is expected to be present, will respectively take place at Sombu beach, Wakatobi, on August 23-29, 2011, and at Tanjung Kelayang Beach, Belitong on October 5-12, 2011.
The flagging off event to mark the start of the yacht rally and yacht race will be held in Darwin, Australia, on July 23, 2011. It will include a tour of 21 districts in Indonesia from Kupang (East Nusa Tenggara Province) or Saumlaki (Maluku), to Belitung (Bangka Belitung, Sumatra) or Batam (Riau Islands, Sumatra).
Other activities highlighting the SWB 2011 will include the inauguration of a marine institute at Wakatobi, underwater mass weddings, underwater chess game, diving contests, a national sailing competition, a traditional sport festival, beach and sea clean up, and a traditional culture and art festival.
The SWB 2011 is continuation of Sail Indonesia 2009 in Bunaken, and Bitung in North Sulawesi Province, and Sail Indonesia 2010 in Banda, Maluku.
At least 200 domestic and foreign participants will join the marine event, and 94 of them from 16 countries have so far registered themselves. (T.SYS/A/F001/M019)
Source: http://www.antaranews.com