Indonesian bishop’s ecotourism initiative

(February 20, 2012) A five-day cultural festival launched by an Indonesian Catholic bishop to help preserve local culture while encouraging ecotourism came to an end on Monday. Entitled ‘Maumere in Love’, the festival launched by Divine Word Bishop Gerulfus Kherubim Pareira of Maumere involved all the island’s eight districts and included several events such as a parade and exhibitions featuring local handicrafts and culinary dishes. “Through this event, the Catholic Church asks all parties to preserve culture, but also the environment and to attract visitors by protecting the image of Flores as a tourist destination,” he told a gathering at St Joseph’s Cathedral Church in Maumere on Sunday. He said the island’s culture and natural beauty is a draw for tourists, but if handled badly, could have a negative impact on nature and the local economy. Bishop Pareira said the Catholic Church has a responsibility to maintain moral order and warned against allowing local development to get out of hand since it could lead to environmental destruction, thereby badly affecting tourism and local livelihoods. Indonesia’s Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Maria Elka Pangestu attended the festival on Saturday and praised Bishop Pareira’s initiative.