Norwegians to host friendship day

The Jakarta Post, Fri, 03/20/2009 1:11 PM

Norway and Bali may be geographically far apart, but the magic of Indonesia's top tourist destination still lures thousands of Norwegians to its beaches.

But there is a new dimension to this, says Norwegian Ambassador to Indonesia Eivind S. Homme.

"We have 800 Norwegians currently studying in Bali. This is amazing," Ambassador Homme told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday in Jakarta.

This year, around 8,000 Norwegians, both tourists and students, are expected to visit the tourist resort island of Bali.

The Norwegian Embassy and the three Norwegian academic institutions in Jimbaran and Kuta will organize a social event called "Norway-Bali Friendship Day" on Friday. "I am very pleased that more and more Norwegians are discovering the magic of Bali, as this will further develop the close and friendly relations between Norway and Indonesia," Homme said.

Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika and Homme will inaugurate the event in Canggu, Bali.