President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono arrived in Denpasar Bali on Monday this morning at around 10.00 a.m. to attend Lomba Cipta Seni Pelajar Tingkat Nasional – National Art Competition – at Tampaksiring presidential palace.

Accompanied the president are the first lady Ani Yudhoyono, Minister of ESDM Darwin Z Saleh, Minister of Forestry Zulkifli Hasan, Minister of Culture and Tourism Affair Jero Wacik, Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam, Presidential spokesperson Julian A Pasha and Ministry of Foreign Affair spokesperson Teuku Faizasyah who replaced Dino Patti Djalal.

This year national art competition raised Developing National Character with art and culture as its theme and Recognize and Love Your Country’s Culture as its sub theme.

Previously, Minister of Culture and Tourism Affair Jero Wacik said that in this national art competition held annually is conducted in order to apppoach the Independent day celebration and as a follow-up for president idea when giving opening speech in a National Children Day on July 23, 2006 at Cipanas flower garden, West Java.

President Yudhoyono viewed the need of conducting art competition for elementary and junior high students. It could stand as their medium to build nation character and it will get easier to be done if everything starting from when they are still children.

The activities in that competition, according to Minister of Cultural and Tourism Affair, is an exact media for elementary and junior high student to perform their art creativity competitively therefore could push over the development of balance young generation in term of logic, ethic and aesthetic.

News by Antara Bali