Various activities in Ambon to mark Sail Banda 2010

Antara News, Saturday, Otniel Tamindael, May 22, 2010 18:07 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Life in Ambon city in the days during the international marine event of Sail Banda 2010 will be marked by various cultural and social activities.

Cultural and environmental activities such as a music concert and mangrove planting drive will be conducted to grace and mark the upcoming international marine event.

To mark the event, singers of Maluku origin are slated to stage a free concert, "Spirit 2010" on June 20 and 22, 2010 at the beautiful Natsepa Beach in Ambon.

Committee chairman Theny Soparue said in Ambon on Thursday that the free concert was intended to grace the upcoming international marine event of Sail Banda which is to last from June 12 until August 17, 2010.

According to Soparue, at lease 16 singers of Maluku origin such as Dodi Latuharhari, Naruwe, Yoken, Kamba Ipa and others, would entertain the local people for two days at Natsepa Beach.

"Some of the singers and music groups of Maluku origin in Jakarta will also come to highlight the Spirit 2010," Soparue said.

He added that the Spirit 2010 concert was part of the singers participation in gracing the upcoming international marine event of Sail Banda.

"As the singers and artists of Maluku origin, they are called to highlight the international marine event, expected to be of great advantage to this nation," Soparure said.

In addition to the Spirit 2010 music concert, Spraure said there would also be a Sail Banda familiarization from Maluku deputy governor Said Assagaff who is concurrently Sail Banda local committee chairman.

Soparue said Assagaff would give detailed information about Sail Banda.

It was also expected that the people who come for the Spirit 2010 concert will gain an understanding about the importance and advantage of the international marine event and the need to act as good hosts.

"We have to act as good hosts because many foreign tourists will come to Maluku, especially Ambon for the event," Soparue said.

He added that the participants and the guests of Sail Banda would visit many interesting and amazing places such as Natsepa Beach, Hunimua Beach, Pintu Kota Beach, Manuala Beach, Namalatu Beach, Pasir Putih Beach (Alang), Fort Amsterdam , Old Mosque (Kaitetu), Old Church (Hila), and Siwalima Museum in Ambon.

Besides the free music concert by the singers of Maluku origin, an environmentally-related activity, a mangrove tree planting drive, will also be conducted.

At least 2,000 youths will participate in the mangrove tree planting drive along the coast of Ambon Inner Bay on July 30, 2010 as part of the Sail Banda international marine event.

Sail Bada 2010 Civic Mission coordinator Fat Bassalamah said here on Saturday that during the drive each of the 2,000 youths would plant one mangrove tree.

"At least 2,000 youths from the Maluku Protestant Church, Maluku mosques, high schools and university students, and boyscouts, will take part in the one man, one mangrove tree planting drive," Bassalamah said.

He said the mangrove seedlings were being prepared through a coordination with Maluku Forestry Office in cooperation with technical executive unit (UPT) at Forestry Ministry.

"The mangrove planting activity is part of Sail Banda 2010, scheduled for June 12 to August 17, 2010 and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono`s one-man-one-tree policy," Bassalamah said.

Bassalamah, who is concurrently the chief of Maluku Health Office, said the mangrove planting program was intended to improve the local youths` social awareness of environmental preservation to reduce global warming.

"The mangrove tree planting movement is important in a bid to prevent coastal abrasion and tidal waves," Bassalamah said.

In addition, Bassalamah said, at least 100 medical workers had also been prepared by Maluku`s provincial health office to support the Sail Banda event.

"We have trained doctors and nurses from district and city hospitals and clinics to give health services to Sail Banda participants and guests," Basalamah said.

He added that of the 100 medical workers, 60 underwent training last week while the rest were trained last year.

"The training lasted one week at the Kudamati training facility. They were trained by a team from the East Indonesia Disaster Alert Brigade and Dr Wahidin General Hospital in Makassar," Basalamah said.

The Maluku health office had also formed a Sail Medical Service (SMS) team for people in Maluku`s remote islands.

The SMS was formed to avoid social jealousy during the Surya Baskara Jaya health operation on the islands of Ambon, Banda, and Kisar.

Meanwhile, the United States Navy`s floating hospital ship. USNS Mercy T-AH-19. is to arrive in Maluku in the near future to support the Surya Baksara Jaya health operation in the province.

Dubbed Surya Baksara Jaya operation, the health services program will be conducted at seven villages in Ambon, Maluku, July 29-August 3, 2010.

Sail Banda 2010 local committee chairman Cak Saimima said in Ambon recently that the health services provision operation would be conducted in conjunction with the international marine event in the province.

"A similar program as part of Sail Banda 2010 will also be conducted in Banda Neira, Central Maluku district at the same time," Cak Saimima said.

He said the floating hospital would provide health services at Mamala, Morella, Liang, Waai, Tulehu, Passo, and Hutumuri villages on the island of Ambon.

"The Surya Baksara Jaya health services provision operation will be supported by the biggest floating hospital of the United States Navy, the USNS MERCY T-AH-19," Saimima said.