VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Several Muslim refugees from Afghanistan and Sudan expressed their yearnings of celebrating Eid Al-Adha (the Islamic Day of Sacrifice) at homes.

Shakila, an Afghan national, during an interview at the refugee temporary shelter in Kalideres, Jakarta, Sunday, said that every Eid Al-Adha Day, she and her family would visit relatives, sit together for a feast, and wear new clothes.

She further stated every Eid Al-Adha at home in Afghanistan, her family slaughtered at least five cattle as its price was affordable. After slaying the mammals, Shakila and her family cooked the meat with Afghan's traditional recipes.

However, none of the traditions were performed as Shakila now had to live in a temporary center at a facility owned by military command in Kalideres, West Jakarta for at least four years.

She and other foreign refugees now still awaited to be relocated to a permanent country by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees  (UNHCR).

Not far from Shakila, a foreign refugee  from Sudan, Adam Ali also missed celebrating Eid Al-Adha at home. "After praying and asking for forgiveness to family members, I visited their homes, and they paid a visit as well," Ali stated.

Differed with Shakila who was used to purchase the cattle during the holy day, Ali was used to slay the cattle he raised by himself.

"We raised dozens lambs," Ali shortly recalled his memory celebrating Eid Al-Adha in Sudan.

Nevertheless, Ali, his wife and his baby along with other 1,000 foreign refugees had to stop performing their usual traditions during Eid Al-Adha Day, as they had been displaced from their homes and separated from their relatives due to the wars and humanitarian conflicts.

The Bogor district administration will organize the Halimun Youth Camp 2019 (HYCamp2019) on August 24-25, this year, to celebrate Indonesia's National Day and promote Mount Halimun as a tourist destination globally.

Hiking to Mount Halimun located inside the Mount Halimun Salak National Park will enliven the event, Alfisa Triatmoko of the HYCamp 2019 Organizing Committee, stated here on Monday.

"This event, involving foreign participants, is aimed at promoting ecotourism in Bogor," he told Antara.

The HYCamp will encourage the younger generation to care for nature and help preserve the environment, he added.

"There will be several benefits for the participants of the HYCamp, as they will also indulge themselves in the amazing scenery of Mount Halimun," he remarked.

Among tourist attractions on Mount Halimun and in its surrounding areas are the Nirmala tea plantation, 34 waterfalls, rice terraces, and unique local traditions and culture.

The HYCamp 2019 is for youngsters in the age group of 16 and 30 years, and the registration is free and open from August 6 to 19, 2019.

Further information can be obtained on Instagram @hycamp2019, and Facebook Page @halimunyouthcamp.

Halimun in Sundanese language means mist. The upper section of Mount Halimun, in the north area, is almost always covered by mist with a soaring elevation of 1,929 meters.

Traveling to the highlands will offer visitors an opportunity to take in the refreshing, cool air and experience up-close the sprawling fertile greenery.

Established in 1992, the national park has been a protected habitat for the endangered West Java gibbons and the Javan lutung (Trachypithecus auratus), also known as the ebony lutung and Javan langur, which is a monkey belonging to the Colobinae sub-family. (ANTARA)

The ASEAN's Foundation for Orphans Education (Yawatim ASEAN) has initiated the development of University of Anak Yatim ASEAN  in Pekanbaru,  capital of Riau province, to provide free higher education for orphans in the region.

"Insya Allah (God willing), the groundbreaking ceremony will be held on August 24, and attended by the Indonesian religious affairs minister and representatives of ASEAN member countries," Riau Governor Syamsuar said Pekanbaru, Riau on Sunday.

The university will be built on  100 hectares of waqf (endowment) land contributed by local residents. Parts of its campus will also be built in Kampar District, some 100 km from Pekanbaru, Syamsuar said.

Yawatim ASEAN has affiliated with Yawatim Malaysia which has helped orphans in the country study at the University College Bestari of Terengganu.

In addition to the development of the university for orphans, Yawatim ASEAN  also plans to establish a long-distance class for orphans and poor children in the region.

The foundation has prepared Rp13 billion, collected from individuals' cash waqf, for the first stage of the construction.

According to Syamsuar he has received confirmation from some representatives of ASEAN member countries to attend the groundbreaking ceremony in Pekanbaru. (ANTARA)

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union launched the EU-ASEAN Blue Book 2019 at the ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta, Thursday, August 8, 2019. The launch also commemorates the 52nd Anniversary of ASEAN and the 2nd ASEAN-EU Cooperation and Scholarship Day. In his remarks, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Socio-Cultural Community, Kung Phoak, expressed his appreciation to the ASEAN dialogue partners, especially the European Union, who have provided economic support to ASEAN.

“Indeed for more than five decades, ASEAN has demonstrated our relevance to this region and the world. Most recently, our leaders have emphasized the importance of advancing partnership to achieve a truly people-centered, people-oriented, and forward-looking ASEAN community. Hence, such an ASEAN Community, however, is certainly not an easy task. To this end, I would like to express my appreciation to our Dialog Partners, particularly the European Union, for the economy support in helping us in entering the ASEAN Vision of an integrated stable and prosperous region,” said Kung Phoak.

Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Socio-Cultural Community Affairs, Kung Phoak, further said the European Union was also very supportive of ASEAN's efforts to improve connectivity among people. This is reflected in the support of the European Union in providing scholarships at the tertiary level of education, student exchanges, and the development of educators' competencies. Blue Book 2019 ASEAN-European Union is an annual publication about EU cooperation with ASEAN. This book aims to introduce and increase knowledge about the results of cooperation between the European Union and ASEAN in the field of development and the benefits of student mobility within the ASEAN region and between the EU and ASEAN regions. (VOI / AHM)