Labuan Bajo, E Nusa Tenggara (Antara) – First Lady Iriana Widodo on Wednesday introduced some tourist attractions of Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara to spouses of ASEAN leaders as part of the 42nd ASEAN Summit Series.
In a press release issued by the Presidential Secretariat, the first lady said the spouses of the ASEAN leaders were impressed by the natural beauty of Labuan Bajo.
The closed event was held at Bangkok Waring, where Iriana said, all guests were delighted to explore the uniqueness of Labuan Bajo.
He told them that Labuan Bajo is the gateway to Komodo Island, home to Indonesia’s endemic fauna, the Komodo Dragons.
Komodo dragons are a species of large lizards that can weigh up to 160 kilograms and reach up to 3 meters in body length, he explained.
„If we come too close it can be dangerous but we can see later,” she said.
He also told his guests about the location of Bangkok Waring, the ASEAN Leaders’ Livelihood Project, which is commonly used as a creative hub for East Nusa Tenggara creative economy actors.
„This place has been developed as a creative hub, a center for culture-based creative economic activity,” he said.
Concluding her remarks, Iriana expressed her hope that the spouses of the ASEAN leaders will enjoy their time in Labuan Bajo.
He also hoped that the spouses of ASEAN leaders would play their part in maintaining ASEAN people-to-people relations and the advancement of women in Southeast Asia.
„While in Labuan Bajo, I believe that all of us here can take the lead in strengthening relations among ASEAN people (and) working for the advancement of women in ASEAN,” she said.
Earlier, at Komodo Airport, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said the 42nd ASEAN Summit is an opportunity to promote Labuan Bajo to the world.
„It is a good inspiration to hold the ASEAN summit in Labuan Bajo so that the world knows that there is something like Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia,” he said.
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