TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Karawang regent Cellica Nurrachadiana planned to establish Karawang Regency, West Java, as a city that embraces pluralism. Cellica added that she wanted the city to become a base of meetings between ethnicities, religions and cultures.
“Character diversity indicates unity. We will realize this in Karawang,” Cellica told journalists on the sidelines of Cap Go Meh festival on Sunday, February 28, 2016.
Cellica added that Karawang had been celebrating Cap Go Meh for the last 17 years.
“For 17 years, Karawang residents have been celebrating Cap Go Meh. It sets an example if people in Karawang can maintain a good relationship between ethnicities and religious beliefs,” she said.
The Cap Go Meh festival in Karawang this year was special since it was supported by the local administration and attended by Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid’s wife Sinta Nuriyah.
“Sinta Nuriyah’s presence makes Chinese descendants proud,” Cap Go Meh festival organizing committee chief Yen Mei said.
In addition to featuring hundreds of barongsai performers, the Cap Go Meh festival in Karawang showcased a cultural parade.
“There are about 20 cities participating in the cultural parade. Bogor, Bandung, Semarang and Makassar are among them,” Yen Mei added.
HISYAM LUTHFIANA
