Thursday, October 02, 2008 [ sunstar.com.ph]
BACOLOD City, represented by Mayor Evelio Leonardia, will forge a tripartite sister-city relationship with Singaraja City, Indonesia and Andong City, South Korea during his trip to Andong City over the weekend.
It is a rare occasion where three cities would be forging a tripartite sister-city agreement.
Leonardia was given the authority by the City Council through a resolution, to sign the accord with the two cities.
The three cities vow to cooperate with each other to collect, share, research and creatively utilize cultural materials related to masks.
The agreement states that masks represent the diversity of cultures of each city.
“We are looking forward that with this sister city agreement, we will be able to further promote the Masskara Festival as an international tourist attraction,” Leonardia said.
The mayor is in South Korea to speak in the Andong symposium and to attend the 2008 Andong Maskdance Festival.
The festival, which is celebrating its 12th year, is participated by various countries whose festivals are highlighted by street dancing with mask-wearing dancers.
Bacolod City will be presenting its world famous Masskara Festival, which is represented by 10 Masskara street dancers from barangay Alijis, last year’s winner in the street dancing competition.
The barangay Alijis dancers are Charlene Solisa, An-an Detablan, Louanne Marie Altares, Julie Ann Diolazo, Katrina Tupas, Bonnie Canete, Rey Sinogbuhan, Globert Bombio, Jose Johnson Yasay and Jun Michael Villaruz.
Bacolod’s Masskara Festival has repeatedly represented the country in some major festivals in Asia, notably in Singapore, Hong Kong and in Shanghai, China where it drew the attention of international media.
The Masskara Festival also won the championship in the foreign category of the Midosuji Festival Parade of Osaka, Japan.
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