At least 550 athletes from 10 countries are expected to take part in the first international lion dance competition, from May 17 to 19, 2024, which is being organized by the Indonesia Dragon and Lion Dance Sport Association (PB FOBI) according to reporting from Antara News.
PB FOBI chairperson Edy Kusuma said that athletes from Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Thailand are expected to compete in the “1st FOBI World Lion and Dragon Dance Championship 2024.”
“The championship is the first of its kind organized by PB FOBI since its inclusion in the Indonesia National Sports Committee (KONI) on February 20, 2013,” Kusuma informed at a press conference on Wednesday (17/4/24) adding that athletes will vie for three trophies at the competition: the President Cup for the southern lion dance, locally known as barongsai; the Youth and Sports Minister Cup for the northern lion dance, or pekingsai; and the Defense Minister Cup for the dragon dance, say Antara News.
Kusuma said that the organizer has prepared several facilities for participants, including transportation and accommodation.
Antara News says that the competition will be overseen by 22 competent and certified judges; 13 from Indonesia and nine from other countries, and besides live broadcasts on national televisions, people can watch the competition by purchasing tickets online.
PB FOBI also encouraged the 180 Indonesian lion dance athletes participating in the competition to do their best and make Indonesia proud, he said.
Meanwhile, KONI secretary general Lukman Djajadikusuma said he is optimistic that major tourism events, such as the international lion dance competition, will encourage sports tourism, which, in turn, will boost the economy.
“We expect Indonesia would be the main player in barongsai sport at the global level,” he added.
He also expects the government to develop lion dance as an established sport, especially as Indonesia has secured five world champion titles at various international lion dance sports competitions, says Antara News.
Source: Antara News
Stock photo by Donny Haryadi on Unsplash
