DENPASAR ~ The 30th Bali Arts Festival was opened by Denpasar Mayor Puspayoga on Thursday at Puputan Field.

The event was be marked by the releasing of 30 birds, and by a group of women from the Kesiman area showing their skills playing gamelan and the performance of angklung (bamboo instruments) by a group.

In a speech, Puspayoga emphasized the importance of respecting diversity, and also to protecting Balinese culture, and said that the responsibility in preserving Balinese culture lay on Balinese people’s shoulders.

The main theme of Bali Art Festival is Citta Wretti Nirodha, which means Self-Control for Balance and Harmonization, explained the head of the Denpasar Cultural Department, Luh Gede Hariasih.

Therefore, she asked the all people in our society to increase self-control in order to create balance and harmony between all components of the community.