Around the 16th century, Kain Endek actually become a status symbol. Like the Balinese songket, Kain Endek is only for aristocracy and rich people only. Use of motive was not in vain. This is similar to the history of batik cloth that originated in ancient kingdom.

This piece of art, originally came from Klungkung, Gianyar and Karangasem. But eventually, the local governments promote the use of fabric as the pride of Balinese people. The traditional fabric comes in a myriad of beautiful colors and geometrical designs. The fabric is painstakingly hand-woven by skilled artisans in Klungkung, Ubud and Gianyar using a traditional weaving apparatus. Nowadays, you can find Kain Endek everywhere and proud to use for anyone.

Kain Endek is one of famous Bali’s heritages in the world for the art of weaving. The ancestors bequeathed weaving techniques to the next generation, which involves all diligence, patience and a high artistic value. Materials and process can vary, for example, is made from silkworm yarn, spun by hand, colored with natural dyes from plants and done in a long time, even years. This weaving technique has been found since ancient times. The result was much admired, not only for local tastes, but also evokes the sense of world community.

However, with changing times, this fabric is becoming obsolete. Because in addition to being practical and fashionable, complexity of manufacturing and raw material scarcity makes its very expensive. The Balinese costumes switching to a more practical and modern such as batik, cotton, jeans and others. Today, the legacy of Balinese elders seemed to be a myth.

To prevent that happening, the designers tried to explore their creativity by using Kain Endek became elegant dresses, stylish, and alluring.

By trying to dispel the image of the ancient and the formal, Kain Endek can be worn by all levels of society. That’s why the cutting patterns and designs have been adapted for today’s teenagers. Kain Endek actually can be developed using the results of new idea and technology without losing the fundamental characteristics of the fabric used. The new design should follow the growing trend the international world. The key is to develop traditional pattern to oriented global market pattern.

The racer buffaloes, called kerbau pepadu, compete in various open race circuits in assorted heats around the district of Melaya, leading up to the finals, or what has come to be known as the Jembrana Regent’s Cup, and the Governor’s Cup, held annually.

Makepung is derived from the base word of kepung, meaning ‘chase’, similar to the expression ‘steeplechase’. Makepung is one of the unique traditions stemmed from the agrarian life scene of the island, and is a widely enjoyed event in the regency of Jembrana, west Bali.

The grand-scale events inspired from such a simple, traditional pastime preserves the unique traditions of this part of the island, as well as to promote tourism to this far flung western location. The competitions also provide positive impact on other local sectors such as agriculture and farming.

The tradition has partly prevented the shift of land for farming use, and it has also encouraged the people to improve the quality of animal husbandry, raising winning buffaloes for the yearly events.

There are approximately seven different circuits spread out in various locations throughout the district. The Sangyang Cerik circuit in the village of Tuwed, Melaya district is one of the main circuits. The other dedicated fields-turned-circuits include Delod Berawah, Kaliakah, Pangkung Dalem, Merta Sari, Tuwed and Awen.

On the eve of the finals, there is a gathering among the racing teams called sekaa makepung with the Jembrana regent, and the evening is as festive as the major racing day that follows, being filled with art performances and public entertainment.

On race days, international visitors will also be equally amused by the ‘buffalo fashion shows’ that feature the bovines beautifully and carefully dressed up with ornaments from hoof to horn, in another segment of the ‘best-dressed’ competitions.

Following are the predicted dates and tracks for the Makepung races in 2013 (to be confirmed in approaching months).

• 28 July 2013             Mertasari, Jembrana
• 11 August 2013         Tuwed, Jembrana (Regent’s Cup)
• 25 August 2013         Delod Berawah, Jembrana
• 08 September 2013   Pangkung Dalem, Jembrana
• 22 September 2013   Mertasari, Jembrana
• 06 October 2013        Kaliakah, Jembrana
• 20 October 2013        Delod Berawah, Jembrana
• 03 November 2013    Awen, Jembrana
• 17 November 2013    Delod Berawah, Jembrana (Governor’s Cup)

The BaliSpirit Festival is a vibrant and uplifting festival of yoga, dance, and music which awakens and nourishes each individual’s potential for positive change within, leading to positive change in our homes, in our communities, and around the world.

The Next BaliSpirit Festival is scheduled for March 20 – 24, 2013!

But the radius of BaliSpirit extends way further than just 5 days! See the details below:

• Tuesday March 12, 2013 – Nyepi Celebration
• Sunday March 17th – Pre Festival YogaThon at Desa Seni, Canggu/Kerobokan (Beachside Bali)
• Monday March 18th – Pre-Festival Launch Party in Ubud
• Tuesday March 19th – Official Opening Reception for Invited Dignitaries
• March 20-24th – Full on Festival
• March 25th through April 6th – Post Festival events/retreats/concerts all over the island

Email: info@balispiritfestival.com

Location : Ubud – Bali

Indonesia’s Biggest Livestock, Feed, Dairy & Fisheries Industry Show, once again will be held at the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center, Bali – Indonesia from 5 – 7 June 2013. It will bring together trade buyers representing integrators, farmers, feed millers, meat and egg processors, retailers, veterinarians, importers and distributors to view the latest technology, update on the latest issues, network and do business.

Location : BTDC ( Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center ) , Nusa Dua – Bali

 
In 2013, Indonesia will assume the host and chairmanship of APEC. Indonesia will use this momentum to deliver a meaningful contribution to the regional economic integration process in Asia-Pacific, as it had in 1994, paramounted by the birth of the Bogor Goals.

Indonesia’s leadership next year is crucial because APEC is currently at an intersection. On one hand, APEC should continue its role as the locomotive of the regional and global economic growth. On the other hand, APEC is also expected to improve the resilience of the regional economy in the current global economic slowdown, and to provide results that are more concrete to the public.

Under the “Resilient Asia-Pacific, Engine of Global Growth” theme, APEC 2013 would seek to ensure that the Asia-Pacific maintains robust economic growth and resilience, and able to swiftly recover from shocks and contagions from other regions. Indonesia, together with 20 other economies of APEC, can strive to make the Asia Pacific region as the engine of global economic growth. This theme is further translated into three priorities related to the attainment of the Bogor Goals, the achievement of sustainable growth with equity, and the promotion of connectivity.

APEC 2013 will also be an opportunity to Indonesia to utilize the regional economic cooperation to advance its domestic interest in developing the Indonesia’s domestic economic capacity, promoting job creation, and increasing Indonesia’s investment and export. In addition, Indonesia’s hosting in APEC will also inevitably foster positive benefits in the promotion of Indonesian trade, investment, tourism, and culture to the region

Email : registration@apec2013.or.id

Location : Bali

Food, energy, and water are critical for our current society and will be of increasing importance in the future. Uncontrollable world population growth and climate change are forcing us to reassess our food and energy consumption and will have real and substantial impacts on the water cycle. Solving the interlinked challenges of food, energy and water resources in a sustainable manner is one of the fundamental goals of this generation. In addition to these fundamental needs, health is also an essential necessity to be seriously addressed.

Oil seeds gains a substantial attention in recent decades due to its potential usage as both food and renewable energy resources. The greater their availability, the securer the world, as it was proven in the past and today that the lack and uneven distribution of food, energy, and water has been triggering wars among nations and social unrests in many countries. All vegetable oil producers should work together to bring about food and renewable energy resources sufficiently available for anyone living in this limited space on earth.

In 2010, palm oil and soybean oil together account for nearly two-thirds of world utilization, and most of the world’s recent production growth. Rapeseed, sunflower, and palm kernel oil support 16%, 7% and 4%, respectively, of world consumption. Although predominant use of vegetable oil is for food with over 80% of the market, significant increase of biodiesel production and use spearheaded by the EU (mostly in Germany and France), from 2005 onwards, has caused a growing concern over food price increase following the increase of bargaining power of vegetable oil. Insignificant proportion of industrial usage of vegetable oil should be regarded as an open opportunity for new investment and exploration.

Efforts to increase vegetable oil production should be conducted in a sustainable manner. Chemical pollutions and greenhouse gas emission should be kept in check. However, a heavy force by environmentalists should be given in such a way so that their actions do not hamper the genuine intention of fulfilling sufficient food and renewable energy for continuously growing world population. Stronger efforts should be built together in newly emergence of uncertainty of world economy, recently triggered by the EU economy crisis.

The world togetherness involving all vegetable oil stakeholders would be seen on 18-19 June 2013 in Bali, Indonesia, at International Vegetable Oil Conference (IVOC), hosted by Indonesian Biotechnology Research Institute for Estate Crops (IBRIEC). The theme of this prestigious conference is “TOGETHER WE FEED THE WORLD”.

The Conference will explore the topic of global outlooks with a focus on needs of vegetable oil for food, bioenergy and health. The challenges for balancing between food and bioenergy needs and incorporating uncertainty into economic and welfare opportunities will be discussed together with the impacts and responses on environments and sustainability. Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, operating in a carbon constrained world and a focus on renewable energy including practical applications and integration into the energy mix will be covered.

Location : Westin Resort , Nusa Dua – Bali

BICF-2013 is now Rescheduled to 20-26 July 2013.

A. Juli 20 – 23, Bali Symposium 2013
B. Juli 20 – 23, Bali Singing Festival 2013, Singer and Orchestra. Project: Hymn of Praise from Felix Mendelssohn.
C. Juli 22 – 25, Bali International Choir Competition 2013
D. Juli 23 – 26, Bali International Choir Championship 2013

Event Package BS 2013
For individual participants or groups who want to parƟ cipate in Bali Symposium 2013, the
commitee provides Event Package WITHOUT accommodation, and local transportation
for USD 170,- per person.

This package include
Participation fee :  Participation Fee BS-2013.
Goody Bag :  BS 2013 KIT
T-Shirt  :  1 per person.
*  T-Shirt will be the production commitee 30 April 2013, please see the size of t-shirts according cm on the application form. The commitee does not
guarantee the availability of the requested size if the size of the data sent
after that date.

Meal:6 meals; 3x Lunch and 3x Dinner.
* The commitee will not provide meal on the arrival day due consideration
for participant comfort on fl ight delay, schedule changes, etc.

Free Entrance :  Opening Concert.
Atelier class selected, and the whole Choir Collaborati on Workshop,
BS concerts,
Gala Concert with Orchestra BICF 2013 / Closing Concert.

Discount 500rb/person
For individual participation register before
December 31, 2012.

Discount 750.00/person
For Participation Group with minimum 20 people
register before December 31, 2012.  And will have the opportunity to collaborate lead by choral experts.

Info : +6285240863316  |  +6281809686676

2013 marks a mammoth year for the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival, as Southeast Asia’s most renowned literary event gets set to celebrate its 10 year anniversary, 11 – 15 October in Ubud, Bali. In 2013, the Festival comes full circle returning to its original theme Through Darkness to Light/Habis Gelap Terbitlah Terang honouring RA Kartini, Indonesia’s beloved women’s rights pioneer. Beyond paying homage to Kartini, the 2013 program will focus on women’s stories, women’s rights and education, heroes and visionaries. Writers across all genres will be embraced, including travel writers, songwriters, playwrights, poets, comedians and graphic novelists.

Location : Ubud – Bali

UBUD VILLAGE JAZZ FESTIVAL OF THE ROAD

Ubud is located 35 km northeast of Bali’s International Airport. It is attractive to tourists for a variety of reasons. The Ubud area is around two- to three hundred meters above sea level and surrounded by rice fields, which makes it noticeably cooler than then other tourist destinations in Bali. Ubud is famous for it’s regularly nightly traditional dance performances, which are part of the traditional culture and are arranged for tourists on a regular schedule.

Ticket Price :
2 days Pass :IDR 350.000
Daily Pass : IDR 200.000
Early Bird tickets available from  Feb 1, 2013 – May 31, 2013
1 Day : IDR 150.000
Package : IDR 300.000

Tour Package :
All Packages price based on per person (2 persons minimum, twin or double share)
Packages include :

1. 2 nights accomodation
2. 2 days pass ticket festival
3. Daily breakfast at hotel
4. Check in/out from airport – hotel – airport
5. shuttle transport from hotel – venue vv.

More info about ticket and tour packages :

Email : info@ubudvillagejazzfestival.com

Location : Arma Museum Ubud – Bali

We check-in during the day and into the room we ordered. Then store the bag in the cupboard, and went to the rooftop bar for a welcome drink. It is spectacular scenery on the edge of the beach of Kuta, Bali.

Enjoy the beach scenery, welcome drink and take a photo. It is just amazing. About an hour, we were hungry and ordered food through the bars to be sent to the room. When we look at the food menu was very surprised, there is Balinese cuisine rice with satay and traditional chicken sauce. Finally the food arrived to our room. It’s not as much as the portions at home, but it feels good. We like cooking, especially Balinese cuisine. Balinese cuisine at it’s been modified slightly with reduce the chili and pepper portion. But one word, Delicious.

Intrigued to find out why not all hotels in Bali serve Balinese cuisine, then we try to meet some of the chef to find the answer.

The main problem is very rarely are willing to try any cuisine on menu that they do not know. They fear on the impact arising if they eat Balinese cuisine. If this is the case, it is easy to find the solution. Make a brief list of herbs that are used. When a guests reads spices used, they usually ask the waiter or find out on google. Once they are convinced, they will order it. If guests can eat china cuisine, Thailand cuisine, and the Philippines cuisine, then we believe they will love Balinese cuisine.

Moreover, questioning the quality of the local dishes is also a major obstacle to entry into the list of menus. We are really confused if there is a question of quality. As far as we as a connoisseur of cuisine, all dishes were qualified. The only make it different is local flavor. If the meat is said to be less qualified, we think all meat are good just the chef that likes discriminating and as we ate it has same taste.

Hotels operating in Bali should be required to place Balinese dishes on their menus. The serving of local cuisine would enrich the experience of foreign and domestic visitors to Bali. Of course, that would take effort and initiative.