TILL WE MEET AGAIN AT THE VILLAGE ODE 3 AND WELCOM TO THE CHILDREN PART

By Muh Zen Den – Translated by Wawan Husin

No. I won’t die in a rush,
The drums have been beaten, the movement just began: not yet at the peak. (Toto ST Radik, Anthology “Puisi Pangeran” 2005)

It is just that! When we can interpret a line of words from Radik’s poem. The journey is so far away. Still far away. We haven’t finished. Just a beginning. A number of things have to be done. Not yet finished. We have just finished an execution of The Village Ode part 2: Literacy Gathering of Nusantara (July, 20-22, 2007) with –among others- resulted with the statement: (1) Rejecting arrogance and dominance of a community over another community; (2) rejecting sexual exploitation as aesthetics standard and (3) rejecting foreign aids that manipulates the Indonesian-ness of our culture.

Ok, let’s leave the problem for a while. And we do ponder on it in our mind. To find a solution, in order not to let it be. It is all right to make the freedom of thought as the nature of freedom. But, there should be a quality contribution. In order not to let the freedom of thought become a catastrophe for the layman who are not so bright to tske s stance in facing the era of freedom of thought itself.

THE 6th CHILDREN PARTY
Having finished the execution of the Village Ode 2, then another program is about to begin. It is Children Day. Then the community of Rumah Dunia (the World Home) has been waiting. At the time the Village Ode 2 staff busy with making report etc. the Children Day should be executed. The volunteers at Rumah Dunia will run on the program on July, 28-29, 2007. Saturday and Sunday. There are ten activities (games and contest) which are specially dedicated for children. It is actually a week late than the Children Day. So in these two days program the children will express themselves!

The Children Day is also celebrated in Kecamatan Petir. It is, Aji Setiakarya who used to be a volunteer at Rumah Dunia and did stay in Rumah Dunia complex any longer has been preparing such a Children Day. He called his program Petir Gemar Membaca (Petir Likes Reading). He with friends and colleagues will execute the program on July, 29-30. Both Rumah Dunia and Petir Club expects that they can improve literacy awareness among the youth. In Petir Club the young participants will have some enjoyable program such as: Painting and Colouring, Writing a letter to the Regent, and Bright Brain Contest. The committee will campaign for literary awareness for the community. Literacy Awareness creates intelligent society.

For Rumah Dunia, this Children Day is the 6th one. The theme for the day is: Be Happy on Chidren Day. The celebration is different from what have been executed in the years before. The staff of committee will mostly be the youth of Ciloang. The Trio of Ciloang: Deden, Alwi dan Roy. They will be leaders and organizers of the celebration and a number of teenagers will assist them. Ok, we can wait and see. Is there a kind of change and improvement in the re-generation (of committee). Wait and see!

For those fellows and volunteers who want to participate or donate, you are all invited to come to the celebration day at Rumah Dunia. We will welcome you and your donation. As long as … yes, you are happy then we all are happy too.

Do come to Rumah Dunia. The Saturday program, July 28, are: Poetry Reading, Drawing and Creative Writing. From 01:00 p.m. While the Sunday program, July 29, consists of : Acting, running, Sweets Going In Jug, Eel Going in Bottle, Baloon, and Areca Nut Climbing. It will be a good time! Happy time! To participants of games and contests, you have to register your name to the committee. Don’t Miss It!!!!