Sail Bunaken To Have 12 Side Events

Manado, North Sulawesi - Twelve side events will be organized during the Sail Bunaken 2009 which will take place in Manado, North Sulawesi, August 12-20, 2009.

The side events would include a sailing pass, a fly pass, a city parade, and a diving record breaking to be participated in by more than 1,500 divers, Marietha Kuntag of the Manado administration, said here on Sunday.

Other events would be a seminar, an admiral dinner, water sports, traditional sports, a crew party, tourism and recreation, a cultural performance, and a food gathering of ship crew members, she said.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will officially open the foreign ship parade which will be held in Manado and Bitung, North Sulawesi.

Some 42 countries have confirmed their participation in the Sail Bunaken 2009, according to her.

The Sail Bunaken 2009 is aimed at strengthening seamen brotherhood and international relations, as well as promoting North Sulawesi as a gate of East Asia.

Foreign participants are also expected to be able to see the beautiful scenery of North Sulawesi‘s sea, especially Bunaken National Marine Park.

The Bunaken National Marine Park, one of the world‘s best of its kind, covers a total surface area of 89,065 hectares, 97% of which is overlain by sparkling clear, warm tropical water.

Around 150 yachts have been registered to take part in a Darwin (Australia)-Bitung-Manado Yacht Rally which is to be organized as part of Sail Bunaken activities.

Around 8,000 sailors from all over the world are expected to participate in the Sail Bunaken 2009.

The Sail Bunaken will be the largest maritime event ever organized in Asia as it will involve 24 warships, 150 sail boats, and cruise ships from 26 countries.

The warship parade will be participated in by among other things USS George Washington, one of the world‘s largest aircraft carriers, with around 5,000 crew members on board.

The US warship will be guarded by three frigates each having 500 crew members on board. The warships will arrive in Bitung starting August 12, 2009.

Source: http://www.antaranews.com (15 June 2009)
Photo: http://www.sulutlink.com

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