Indonesian Chinese celebrate the Lantern Festival

Indonesia held 8th national celebration for the 15th day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, or Lantern Festival, in an effort to show respect to the local Chinese.

Taking a theme of "Build Indonesia Together -- One Indonesia, Glorious Indonesia," the annual event featured a musical drama titled the same as the event's theme, involving at least 120 dancers of various ethnicity in Indonesia.

Apart from the musical, the event also featured Chinese traditional Lion Dance as well as several popular songs performed by Indonesian Chinese Singers.

On behalf of the President Joko Widodo, Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security affairs Tedjo Edhi Purdijatno read Joko's written congratulatory message.

Joko conveyed firstly his best wishes to the Indonesian Chinese for the Chinese Lunar New Year, and said "Happy Lantern Festival" in Chinese.

He noted that the Chinese Lunar New Year is part of Indonesia's cultural diversity, holding such a celebration is to show respect for the local Chinese, who has played an important role in the country's development.

"Since 20th century, the Indonesian Chinese has actively participated in the field of education, social culture and economy, " Joko said.

"History proves that the Indonesian Chinese was never absent in developing Indonesia," He added.

Murdaya Poo, organizer of the event thanked Indonesian government for lifting the ban on celebrating the traditional Chinese festival, adding that Indonesian Chinese should join hand in hand with other ethnicity in the country to accelerate growth the Indonesian economy.

Established in 2008, the annual celebration of Lantern Festival were co-organized by the Joint Chinese-Indonesian Forum and Indonesia's Metro TV. More than 5,000 local residents attended the event. Endi