Badung, Bali (ANTARA) - The National Narcotics Board (BNN) held an anti-narcotics campaign with student choir groups from 28 countries that participated in the 11th Bali International Choir Festival (BICF) in Bali.

In this activity, conducted by Chief of the National Narcotics Board (BNN) Petrus Reinhard Golose, thousands of students from several Indonesian campuses were designated as ambassadors for the anti-narcotics campaign.

"This is a series of commemorating HANI (International Anti-Narcotics Day/World Drug Day) last month, whose peak ended today (July 28), and I thank the Bandung Choral Society for continuing to work together to organize the 'war on narcotics', 'sing against drugs', that there is no need to use banned substances in singing," Golose stated at the 11th BICF closing on Thursday evening.

Golose stated after the event that the festival aligned with BNN's anti-narcotics campaign called "sing against drugs."

On the occasion, he also expressed hope that the BICF would not only be a platform for anti-narcotics campaigns but also support the revival of Bali's tourism and the activities of Indonesia's G20 Presidency.

"Hopefully, this joint activity (also) welcomes the G20 where Indonesia is (holding) the presidency (host). Hence, we support the activities (of tourism recovery) of the Bali regional government, national activities, and (at the international stage), we voice the 'war on drugs' by singing," the BNN chief stated.

The 11th BICF, which had not been held for several years due to the pandemic, was organized on July 25-28, 2022, in a hybrid format -- online and on-site -- at the Dharma Negara Alaya Building, Denpasar.

The choir festival was attended by a total of 93 choral groups from 28 countries, comprising Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, Argentina, Venezuela, Brazil, Mexico, Greece, Nigeria, South Africa, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Cuba, Guatemala, and Panama.

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Translator: Genta M, Kenzu T
Editor: Sri Haryati
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