INTERNATIONAL KITE PLAYERS GATHER IN E KALIMANTAN

Balikpapan, E Kalimantan, Feb 19 (ANTARA) - Kite players from 15 countries joined the "Borneo International Kite Festival" officially kicked off here Friday.

Deputy Mayor of Balikpapan city Rizal Effendi opened the three-day festival at the Segara Sari Manggar beach by flying a colorful kite followed by local and international kite players.

Among the international kite players attending the festival were David Gomberg of the United States, Kevin Sanders of Australia, and Ralf Marseiki of Germany.
The festival's committee member, Alan Salahudin, said he targeted the total number of kites flown during the festival could exceed that of the same festival in the Palestinian territory in 2006.

"We remain optimistic that we can break the Guinness World Record that remains held by the kite festival in Palestinian territory in 2006 with 3,710 kites," he said.

In gaining the target, the festival committee would encourage thousands of local students to fly their kites, he said.

"This kite festival is also aimed at supporting the global warming awareness campaign," Salahudin said.

At the end of the festival, the committee would hold stamp auction in which the money collected from the auction would be donated for saving protected forests of Wain River, he said.

"We work with PT Pos Indonesia (Indonesian Postal Company) to conduct the stamp auction," he added.