KUALA LUMPUR: The Rainforest World Music Festival returns for the 18th consecutive year. Over 20,000 people are expected to flock the Sarawak Cultural Village in Kuching, Sarawak to attend the most anticipated music event in Malaysia happening from Aug 7 till 9.
A line-up of stellar world music groups (comprising 17 international and seven local groups), are slated to take centerstage throughout the three-day music festival.
The international performers include Alaverdi from Georgia, Bargou 08 (Tunisia), Driss El Maloumi (Morocco), EPI (Mongolia), Harubee (Maldives), Kapela Maliszow (Poland), Kobagi Kecak (Indonesia), Kobo Town (Trinidad/Tobago), Korrontzi (Spain) , Le Blanc Bros Cajun Band (Australia), Lindigo (Reunion Island), Ndima (Congo), Sangpuy (Taiwan), Shooglenifty (Scotland), Son De Madera (Mexico) Sona Joberteh (Gambia/UK) and Ukandanz (France/Ethiopia).
Joining them are our very own music outfits as Culture Shot, Kenwy Yang-Qin Ensemble, Lan E Tuyang, Mah Meri, Sayu Ateng, 1Drum.org and Sarawak Cultural Village group.
Sarawak Tourism Board chief executive officer Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik said: “Out of the estimated 20,000 crowd, we hope to see 60 per cent foreigners of the total being foreign visitors.
The festival augurs well for the local business community and also help to contribute a significant number of visitor arrivals into Sarawak.”
There will also be other exciting ground activities such as the Rainforest World Craft Bazaar which offers international artisans’ handcrafted products and stalls that sell a wide variety of local, fusion and international food, as well as stalls selling festival memorabilia and albums by the performers, various music workshops; as well as mangrove forest planting activity.
“The mangrove forest planting activity to be held at the Kuching Wetlands is part of our greening efforts. We hope this activity will help create the needed awareness on the high conservation value and important ecological role of mangrove trees which act as the habitat for marine life and coastal buffer zone,” he said at a Press conference held recently.
Inaugurated in 1998 with an audience of only 300 people, the Rainforest World Music Festival has now become a major annual event. It was also awarded the 2012/2013 Brand Laureate Country Branding Award by Asia Pacific Brands Foundation.
Tickets to the music festival are priced between RM110 to RM265, and they can be purchased via the official website http://rwmf.net/tickets.
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