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Petroglyph Alta is located at the northern tip of Norway near the Arctic Circle. Alta rock carvings is a collection of Petroglyph (rock art) that included to the most important prehistoric site from 4200-500 BC. This is one destination that you should go on holiday to Norway.

First discovered in 1967, 5000 rock carving site was designated a World Heritage Site in 1985. According to UNESCO, Petroglyph Alta is the most important part of the evidence supporting the existence of human activities in the north of the prehistoric period.

Rock art at Alta recorded around 4200-500 BC, has four main phases of work. Carvings and paintings on stones along the fjord from the Ice Age, works of art found at the height of the rocks are the oldest, while the Petroglyph near the sea surface is the latest.

Modern history of the Alta carvings started in 1967, when first discovered and studied. The artwork is then designated as a World Heritage Site in 1985. Following several years later by the opening of Alta Museum in June 1991.

Petroglyph in Alta has more than 5,000 paintings and engravings that are found in over 45 sites. The main site, which is now a museum contains about 3000 petroglyph Alta. Although this painting has been painted over by the investigators, but otherwise completely original.

The main site of Petroglyph is part of an open museum that also includes a very good indoor exhibition, including prehistoric rock art and the general history of the area. From the Alta museum, you can follow the marked path that leads to a sloping hill toward the fjord. Along the road you will find a 13 point stops to see rock art.

Petroglyph itself described the various forms of geometric symbols and animals such as bears and deer. There are also depictions of human activities such as hunting, fishing, navigation, and ritual. While agricultural activities with pets in the fence, appearing among the latest Petroglyph (near 500 BC).

When you decide to visit, the Alta museum is open daily. Starting from October to April open 9:00 to 16:00 o'clock local time, while May and September from 9:00 to 18:00 o'clock local time. Meanwhile, in June-August starting at 8:00 to 21:00 local time.

Charges will apply when visiting these sites during October-April for adults at 45 krona (about $7), while during May-September for adults 85 krona (about $13).

Director of Promotion of Foreign Affairs, Directorate General of Marketing Department of Culture and Tourism (Depbudpar) Prof.Dr. I Gde Pitana said Pendet Dance in the Visit Malaysia Year advertisements can be displayed along the original Balinese art and culture is not claimed as belong to Malaysia.

"We have to look at the context of the problem. Because in our tourism ads are often displayed Lion Dance, as an attraction that in Indonesia there are also attractions of Lion Dance. But we never claimed it belonged to Indonesian, but the art and culture came from China," said I Gde Pitana at Sapta Pesona Building Jakarta.

I Gde Pitana explained that following the incessant news about Balinese Pendet dance used in advertising Visit Malaysia Year. According to Pitana, Pendet dance is a native Balinese art and culture thus Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) of it is belongs to the people of Bali.

"Concerning the protection of Intellectual Property Rights of cultural arts, Depbudpar with the Department of Justice and Human Rights (Depkumham) has made a memorandum of understanding (MoU)," said Pitana saying, with the MoU is expected in each region works diligently to register both culture and art belong to individuals or communities to Depkumham to get legal protection.

As it is known at the end of 2007 Malaysia had used the song Rasa Sayange to be a jingle of Visit Malaysia Year campaign which later received a strong protest from the people of Indonesia.

Associated with that Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage Malaysia Rais Yatim in a meeting with Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik, asserted that Malaysia was never claimed that the song Rasa Sayange belonged to Malaysia.

The Balinese artists and traditional performers urged the government to be able to fight and defend Pendet Dance as cultural heritage and tradition wealth of the Indonesian nation.

"We expect the Government of Indonesia can maintain Pendet Dance, after the art as the legacy down through the generations of ancestors of the Balinese people claimed belonged to Malaysia," said Ida Ayu Agung Mas, a member of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD-RI), when contacted by ANTARA in Denpasar, Bali.

She mentions, it will immediately convey the aspirations of the Balinese artists to the government to be actionable, so that this nation is no longer lost treasures that are priceless. Not only Pendet, but the painting or batik pattern and some works of folk songs in the country also had claimed belonged to Malaysia. "This is too far," she said.

Malaysia through broadcast advertising "Visit Malaysia Year" impressed claiming Pendet Dance or Welcome Dance that usually served to the important guests who come to the Island of the Gods.

Pendet Dance brought by women dressed in traditional Balinese aired several times in the ad "Visit Malaysia Year" on several television stations at home and abroad. Professor from Institut Seni Indonesia (ISI) Denpasar Prof. MA Wayan Dibia states, based on the observation, the dancers who appear in these ads are Balinese.

"The two dancers who performed are alumnus of ISI Denpasar named Lusia and Wiwik. The shot made by Bali Record about two to three years ago," said Prof. Dibia.

United States aircraft carrier USS George Washington, leading a group of warships parade presented at the peak of events in Sail Bunaken 2009 Manado. USS George Washington is accompanied by 25 warships coming from 14 participant countries presented in the series of International Fleet Review (IFR) 2009.

USS George Washington has moved since this morning at 06.00 Central Indonesian Time from Bitung. Scheduled at 16:00 will give homage to the President of the Republic of Indonesia, the IFR delegations and representatives of a number of ambassadors in the Bay of Manado, said the Head Of Indonesian Navy`s Information Service Commodore Iskandar Sitompul, in Manado, on Wednesday (19 / 8 ).

At the honorary parade of those warships, Iskandar explains, replacement of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono who could not attending the event is the Coordinating Minister of Politics Law and Security Widodo AS.

Widodo AS accompanied by the Minister of Transportation Jusman Syafii Djamal, Minister of Marine and Fisheries, Freddy Numberi, Commander of TNI General Djoko Santoso, three commanders of the Navy, ground forces and air corps, and North Sulawesi Governor SH Sarundajang.

In the parade formation of warships, the United States to bring the four warships. Including aircraft carrier USS George Washington, and three destroyer. Then there are warships from Britain, Japan, Russia, Australia, South Korea, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, China, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, and France. Meanwhile, Indonesia present its six warships.

In addition to the parade of warships, the sailing and flying pass events was clattered by the attraction of Indonesian Navy and Air Force's Aircraft which also presented the United States Military Fighter Jets.

From Indonesia, Sukhoi fighter MK-27/MK-30 with three types of F-16 combat aircrafts share the formation with owned by the United States navy, Intruder, Hawkeye, and F-18.

Memorial ceremony of the seconds to 64th Proclamation of the Republic of Indonesia at the bottom of the sea of Pantai Malalayang, Manado, Sulawesi Utara (North Sulawesi), followed by foreign mariners from Australia, UK and the Philippines.

"We came about 200 people using the warships, 10 people joined to dive to support the implementation of the ceremony," said one of the mariner from Australia, Nick Lay, Monday (17 / 8) in Malalayang Beach.

Lay says, in the diving they are wearing their uniforms to match with the conditions of the memorial ceremony of the Republic of Indonesia's Independence day.

"The activity is very extraordinary," said Lay, while adding that he is happy to come to Manado, one of the Indonesia's beautiful city, and participate in the ceremony under the water is a surprise.

In addition to foreign mariners, participants of the ceremony are also attended by students from Manado and dive club in the entire archipelago, the Indonesian Armed Forces, the Navy, Air Force, the Police of the Republic of Indonesia, and the Indonesian community.

Besides, there are other guests to follow the ceremony from the warships, yachts and the stage of honor at the seaside. After the ceremony finished, international jury from the Guinnes Book World of Record, Lucia Sinigagliesi, congratulate all of the participants and the committe because the ceremony was successful.

"What made in the event is the largest and most number of participants, it will be recorded in the Guinnes Book of World Records," said Lucia.

The event itself is part of the 2009 Sail Bunaken, which expected from Sail Bunaken 2009, the image of tourism in Indonesia can be recovered.
[ Please Read: Sail Bunaken 2009 To Recover Indonesia's Tourism Sector ]

Sail Bunaken will be held in Manado and Bitung, North Sulawesi, 12-20 August 2009, is a momentum to recover the image of Indonesian tourism, after the suicide bombing in Jakarta, 17 July 2009.

"Sail Bunaken that bring thousands of participants from various countries will be a media of campaign for the Indonesian nation in the eyes of the world that our country safe and peaceful," said Head of Public Information Department of Communication and Information (Depkominfo) Suprawoto during Sail Bunaken socialization, in Manado.

Bomb explosion at the JW Marriott Hotel and the Ritz-Carlton is not the reason that Indonesia is not safe anymore because of the capital Jakarta until now is still conducive.

According to him, the international community only know Indonesia through Jakarta and Bali, but still many areas in Indonesia which has the potential of natural resources and the location of the tour in other regions, including North Sulawesi.

"The central government selected North Sulawesi as the location of Sail Bunaken for two reasons. The first, North Sulawesi has a maritime tourism, known worldwide, ie, Bunaken Sea National Park with a million of beautiful biota and are rarely found in other areas," he said.

The second, the Province of North Sulawesi has long recognized as province with the best security with the successful World Ocean Conference (WOC) on 11-15 May 2009 with presented 75 countries and a number of institutions worldwide.

Meanwhile, the readiness of North Sulawesi to held Sail Bunaken that followed tens of warships and hundreds of yachts from various countries is quite optimal, as a number of hotels, tourism, telecommunication and internet links, and other supporting facilities.

Indonesian tourism sector is not affected significantly after bombing incidents in the Hotel Ritz Carlton and JW Marriott Mega Kuningan, South Jakarta, last week. Thus revealed at the press meet that was attended by representatives of all elements of tourism such as airlines, hospitality, and food services at the Media Center, Bellagio Mall, South Jakarta.

Indeed, business aviation, hospitality, food services had to be affected, especially on a day to two days after the bombs blast. However, after a week elapsed, the condition gradually improved. Even if the number of tourist arrivals decreased, this was more due to the holiday period ends.

Recovery of tourism sectors also supported by the performance of the fast moving police to handling the case of Bom Marriott II. Therefore, the tourism sector expects, the police continue to improve security, and soon reveals the two bombardment cases of Jakarta's hotel that killed nine people. Thus, the trust of tourists will soon be recover.

Minister of Culture and Tourism / Menteri Kebudayaan Dan Pariwisata (Menbudpar) Jero Wacik said Lombok island, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) is one of 10 best locations of MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition) in Indonesia.

He revealed that during the launch of Visit Lombok Sumbawa (VLS) in 2012 with the target one million tourists, in the area of Senggigi tourism, West Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara, on Monday (6 / 7).

Launching of VLS 2012 begins with the International Ecotourism Business Forum (IEBF), which aims to assist the Government of the Province of West Nusa Tenggara to marketing its tourism commodity as has happened in other areas when previously conducting IEBF.

"We already have three best locations of MICE followed more than 5000 participants such as Bali, Jakarta and Manado," he said. Meanwhile best MICE location with the number of participants is less than 5000 people in 10 areas including the island of Lombok.

Therefore, providing IEBF 2009 was held in Lombok, 5-6 June, followed by buyers from 10 countries and at least 25 vendors (sallers) from within the country.

IEBF unites sallers with buyers from the UK, Germany, United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, India, France and Indonesia. "One of the many excellent commodities discussed on the IEBF 2009 is pearls," he said.

Jero Wacik said by the IEBF organization in Lombok then businesses from the various countries involved actively promoting NTB's pearl categorized as best in the world. This means that the best pearl in the world to grow and can be harvested on the Lombok island. "We show that the world's best pearls is in Lombok," he said.

Datas version of Fisheries and Marine NTB showed the potential land of pearl development in the area of NTB reach 19,056 hectares which can produce an average of 1.4 to 1.8 tons / year.

Approximately 10-30 percent of the total production of pearls each year shipped to Surabaya and Jakarta for further exported to various countries by 38 pearl companies.

Meanwhile, The results of Department of Marine and Fisheries research, NTB-pearl products classified in groups A (high quality), B (medium) and C (low). Classification A has selling value Rp.1 million per gram, grade B Rp. 150 thousand per gram and classification C Rp. 100 thousand per gram.

NTB Provincial Government has offered to host the international pearl auction market in 2010, so they now trying to build the center of international scale pearl auction.

Early 2010, Lombok International Airport / Bandara Internasional Lombok (BIL) in Penujak, Jai Batu District, Central Lombok, which is in the process of development, can be used.

Bali has a socio-cultural forces that are expected to be able to be a "breath" of creative economic development in Indonesia, as well as generate other productive economic sectors.

"That strengths are open attitude, friendliness towards strangers and other ethnic, so that the Bali is known internationally," said head of Bank Indonesia Denpasar, Drs Viraguna Bagoes Oka, MA in Denpasar on Saturday.

He said that, the other strength potential is, related to the heritage of tradition in daily life that exist and remain strong in Balinese Community. Similarly, assets of tourism such as natural attractions and panoramic beauty of nature remain sustainable and well maintained, he said.

"All the attractions to be able to make Bali a "meeting point" of different ethnics in the world, that does not just want to enjoy the beauty of nature, but work and collaborate with people of other ethnicity," said Viraguna Bagoes Oka who previously appear as the speaker in Sarasehan, one of the five agenda of 31st Bali Arts Festival 2009 / Pesta Kesenian Bali (PKB) ke-31 2009.


He rate, the interaction has become a very important factor for the community of The Island of God / Pulau Dewata to develop the creative industries in the future. According to Oka, the condition is at once will make Bali become more popular in the international community. Those popularities not only as a tourist destination but as places of work for many creative individuals.

Viraguna Bagoes Oka reminded that the benefits and potentials of Bali are supporting the Indonesian government policies that plans 2009 as a "Year of Creative Indonesia."

"It reflects the development of creative economy is one of the opportunities in anticipating the condition of uncertainty due to global economic crisis," said Viraguna Bagoes Oka.