"A rehearsal had been carried out last night for the program and preparation has been almost 100 percent finished. A huge stage and a big screen have been set up for the guests to watch the opening of the Asian Games in Jakarta," the President of Indonesia Asian Games Organizing Committee`s (INASGOC) special staff Nirmala Dewi said here on Saturday.
Palembang which is the capital of South Sumatra province is the co-host of the Asian biggest sporting event along with Jakarta.
Unlike in Jakarta, the local committee here would implement a garden party concept taking the benefit of the area in front of the Jakabaring Gelora Sriwijaya Stadium as its venue.
In the venue invitees will watch together the course of the Asian Games opening ceremony at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.
"Like the athletes` parade, it is very important for the Asian Games contingents. Although they are in Palembang they will certainly also want to see their fellow countrymen parading for the opening ceremony of the Games in Jakarta," she said.
A total of 4,000 invitation letters have bern distributed to athletes, officials, sports representatives, community figures and government officials.
The guests will also be entertained with local traditional dance and music performances and also by domestic and foreign artists such as Hwang Young Min and Choi Dong Wook from Korea and Andra and the Back Bone from Indonesia.
"Due to a limited space the event is only for invitees and not open for the public," she said.
A total of 12 sport branches will be played in Palembang involving 3,100 athketes from 45 countries.
Reporting by Dolly Rosana
Editing by Yoseph
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
