(From left) Abang Johari, UiTM’s Dr Ramona and Dr Jamil watching a musical performance staged as a symbolic opening of the Glomus Camp. Thomas is on fifth left.
KUCHING: Sarawak will always welcome cross-cultural activities with open arms, in this instance being host for the Glomus Camp, in the belief that music can bridge the gap between cultures.
The most unique feature of the state, and one which sets it apart from the other states, is its cultural diversity, said Minister of Tourism Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He noted this because the state has 27 distinct indigenous ethnic groups and boasts racial harmony among a population of 2.4 million which adheres to a variety of traditions, practices and religions.
“Sarawak is unique with its variety of traditional songs and music, as well as dances using their own musical instruments and costumes.
“Our sape music instrument has even gained an award in New York,” he said when opening the Glomus Camp 2015 at Sarawak Cultural Village yesterday.
The ‘Global Network for Higher Music Education’ or ‘Glomus’ has chosen the state to hold a 10-day camp to bring together participants from various countries, musical background and traditions to enhance inter-cultural communication, knowledge sharing, capacity-building and organisational development and musical interaction for mutual inspiration and innovation.
Besides diversity of culture, Abang Johari said Sarawak is also a land of adventure where visitors and tourists could watch and experience the flora and fauna here.
“We conserve and make sure that these treasures will be sustained for the future generations despite our modernisation.
“The eco-tourism concept that we apply are natural-based, educational and sustainable,” he added.
Abang Johari said he was told that Sarawak is the first non-African state chosen to hold a Glomus Camp after Mozambique in 2009, Ghana in 2011, and Tanzania in 2013.
He said Malaysia is having its Year of Festivals (MyFest 2015) this year. As the country is blessed with various cultures, this new campaign seeks to showcase and celebrate Malaysia’s bountiful, diverse cultures and various festivities.
Sarawak will host at least 10 mega events in conjunction with MyFest 2015, he said, among them the Asean International Films Festival and Awards (Aiffa) in April, Mukah Kaul Festival also in April, Borneo Jazz Festival and World Harvest Festival in May, Babulang and Bisaya Buffalo Racing Festival in June, Rainforest World Music Festival in August and Sarawak Regatta in September.
The UiTM Faculty of Music and UiTM Sarawak is in collaboration with Glomus to hold the camp here.
The Glomus Camp, which started yesterday, is supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affars of Finland under the North-South-South Programme, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), Kuching North City Commission (DBKU), Sarawak Convention Bureau, Sarawak Economic Development Corporation, Ministry of Tourism Sarawak, and many other local partners, and funded by the Sibelius Academy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark.
Participants of the camp hail from 21 countries comprising Finland, Denmark, Tanzania, Mali, Australia, Nepal, Sweden, Brazil, China, Netherlands, Singapore, Estonia, France, Ghana, Mozambique, South Africa, Palestine, Egypt, Syria, Afghanistan and host Malaysia.
Among those present yesterday were UiTM Sarawak Rector Professor Dato’ Dr Jamil Hamali, UiTM Faculty of Music Dean Associate Professor Dr Ramona Mohd Tahir, and Rector of Royal Academy of Music Aarhus/Aalborg (RAMA), Denmark, Thomas Winther and Sarawak Cultural Village general manager Jane Lian Labang.