Miss Universe Dayana Mendonza (22) in her current tour of Indonesia paid a visit to the well known Buddhist temple of Borobudur in Magelang district, Central Java, on Monday.
Accompanied by Miss Indonesia 2008, Zivanna Lestisha Siregar, Mendonza arrived at the temple at around 8.30 am.
Director for Operation and Development of Borobudur and Prambanan Temples, Guntur Puronomo Adi received the Miss Universe in the Borobudur temple yard. Purnomo Adi when receiving the Miss Universe was accompanied by Retno Hardiasiwi, head of the Borobudur Tourism Park unit.
Guntur handed over a gift in the form of a book titled “Borobudur Prayer in Stone” to Mendonza. Besides, the book, the Miss Universe also received a traditional `batik` cloth with a motive of the Borobudur temple.
Mendonza had an observation tour of the temple, and walked around the stupa in the temple peak. She happened to try to reach one of the Buddhist statue named “Kunto Bimo” by Javanese people.
Javanese believed that whoever was able to touch the legs of the statue would be awarded with welfare and have his or her prayers answered.
Mendonze left the temple at 9.10 am after taking a picture in the temple`s yard.
Source: www.antara.co.id/en
August 19th, 2008
Indonesian Ambassador to the UAE M. Wahid Supriyadi has said he would invite businessmen in his country to visit the UAE, the second biggest economy in the GCC.
Speaking to Khaleej Times on the occasion of 63rd Independence Day of Indonesia on Sunday, Supriyadi said many Indonesian businessmen have not yet seen the potential of the UAE. ‘We will hold a series of activities to increase exports to the UAE and take businessmen from the emirates to Indonesia to attend the Trade Expo in Jakarta in October.
‘Significantly, investment from the UAE in Indonesia has just started. It is estimated to reach up to $6 billion by the end of this year. Indonesia, on the other hand, has achieved a 6.2 per cent growth in the first quarter of this year.’
He said the UAE has emerged as the second biggest economy in the GCC and has become a significant player in the region, while Indonesia has the highest Muslim population in the world.
‘Our bilateral trade with the UAE has grown to $1.5 billion in 2007. Indonesia believes that the bilateral relations with the UAE are very important not only due to the close cultural links between us but also because of the great potentials of the two countries that have not been widely explored so far, particularly in the field of trade, investment and tourism,’ Supriyadi said.
The Indonesian Embassy will organise an Indonesian festival next year to integrate trade expo, investment forum and cultural exchanges. Indonesian expatriates celebrated the Independence Day with patriotic zeal and fervour on the embassy premises in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. Supriyadi and his wife, Murgiyati, cut the traditional rice called ‘Tumpeng Rice’. Traditional activities like singing of patriotic songs and other functions like diplomatic reception were held. In Dubai, Consul-General Faisal Harun led the celebrations in which over 100 Indonesian expatriates participated. Harun hoisted the Indonesian flag at the consulate in Hubaiba.
Source: http://www.menafn.com/
August 19th, 2008