Panut Hadisiswoyo: Project Update July 2007

Orangutan Festival

The Orangutan Festivals had been conducted in Deli Serdang Regency on 9-11 June 2007 in conjunction with Indonesian Conservation Cadre Association (FK3LI), The Ministry of Education and local schools. The event was made possible by financial support from the Rufford Foundation. About 250 pupils participated actively during the festivals by taking part in the conservation camp jamboree. The camp allowed the pupils to stay outdoor for 2 days while learning much about the nature conservation programme and joining some educational programme.

The activities in the festivals were initiated by organising a conservation camp, film screening, focus group workshop, tree replanting programme along the river bank of Deli river, poetry creation and recitation competition (on garbage issue), environmental song creation competition (on forest issue), wall magazine creation competition, essay and opinion delivery competition (for teachers), enviornmental creativity performance show, and exhibition. The festivals were concluded by conducting a ceremony which were attended more that 400 invitees including Head of North Sumatra Nature Conservation Agency (BKSDA), Deputy of North Sumatra Environmental Impact Assessment Agency (Bapedalda), school teachers, NGO members, and local school children.