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Colombia's Barranquilla carnival opens with traditional Battle of Flowers

Xinhua, February 15, 2015 Adjust font size:

Thousands of tourists and Colombians, including President Juan Manuel Santos, on Saturday attended the opening of the annual carnival in the northwestern port city of Barranquilla with its traditional "Battle of Flowers".

The Colombian president stressed the importance of this carnival, which is the country's largest cultural event, voicing his aim that battles in Colombia are made only with flowers, referring to the traditional

"Battle of Flowers" that take place every year at the 40th street of

the city.

"I am very pleased to be here. You know that I do not miss this Carnival, which he said "is a wonderful cultural expression that we Colombians have".

The four-day carnival will also see at the weekend the Great Parade of Tradition, the Comedy Festival and the Orchestras Festival in the

Romelio Martinez Stadium on Monday.

Some 1,5 million people are expected to attend the event, with over 13 Colombian artistic expressions carried out by 650 ethnical and cultural groups, generating an extra income for thousands in the country's Caribbean region.

The Barranquilla carnival, one of the oldest and most recognized cultural events in Colombia, was listed as an "intangible cultural heritage" by UNESCO in 2003. Endi