... I will tell this to the whole world. Continue what you have done and good luck...Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - Visiting Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf said he was impressed by the social awareness of boy scouts in Bantul district who had built a training center for the local community.
"I am impressed by the scouts in Bantul who have built Pendapa Sanggar Pramuka (scout studio gazebo) as a training center for making batik, wayang (leather puppets) and karawitan (traditional music)," said the king who is also chairman of the World Scout Foundation here Wednesday.
When inaugurating the gazebo in Nogosari, Wukirsari village, Imogiri sub district he was proud of the scouts in Bantul who had done a great and good work.
"I will tell this to the whole world. Continue what you have done and good luck," the King said.
He said development of the training center called the Messenger of Peace (MOP) was also done by scouts in various other countries including Saudi Arabia.
"MOP aims to help people become better so that it can be emulated by other countries. Indonesia has been implementing the program and followed by other countries," King Carl XVI Gustaf said.
He added the World Scout Foundation would also launch a new website containing a map of countries that carry out the MOP around the world.
"The website is also going to use the Indonesian language that will facilitate the scouts in Indonesia to access it. Within the next two months the Indonesian scouts can open the MoP website in the Indonesian language," the King said.
Meanwhile the Bantul regent Sri Suryawidati said Pendapa Sanggar Pramuka (scout studio gazebo) was planned to be the center of activities that support the local wisdom business such as leather puppet crafts, carving and batik painting.
"It is expected to support the economic development and local community empowerment so they can be better in the future," she explained.
According to her in Indonesia there are about 21 million members of the scout which 35,000 members are in Bantul. It shows that Bantul district is the most active in scouting activities.
"The district administration is committed to develop the Bantul scouts from primary school level (elementary) to secondary school (high school)," Sri said.
On that occasion the King of Sweden was accompanied among others the minister of youth and sports Andi Mallarangeng, the Swedish Ambassador to Indonesia Ewa Ulrika Polano, the Vice Governor of Yogyakarta Paku Alam IX, the Chief Commander of Military Area Command of Diponegoro Maj.Gen.Mulhim Asyrof and the Chairman of the Scout National Kwartir Azrul Anwar.
Their arrival was greeted by Projo Tamansari and Panembromo Kinanti Sobokastowo songs accompanied by the strains of gamelan and the traditional dance Gambyong to welcome as well. (KR-LWA)
Editor: Ade P Marboen
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
