Armada Band to Perform at ISG Closing Ceremony

Palembang, S Sumatra (Antara) - The Armada band is scheduled to perform at the closing ceremony of the Third Islamic Solidarity Games (ISG) at Sriwijaya Jakabaring sports stadium here on Tuesday. "Previously, the Armada band had performed at the closing ceremony of SEA Games 2011 in Palembang," chairman of the ISG organizing committee Ahmad Najib said here on Monday. According to him, the ISG 2013 closing ceremony will be lively and interesting, although it will not be as dynamic as its opening ceremony. The ISG, sponsored by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), was officially launched on Sept. 22 by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and will last until Oct. 1. "The ISG opening ceremony was performed well in an effort to show visitors from participating countries that the games would run smoothly. Dances with Islamic elements will continue to be performed," he disclosed. Meanwhile, national choreographer Denny Malik, who is the event's organizer, said the dancing and musical performances will continue to depict Indonesian culture. The composition of Islamic cultural elements will be unique, he added. Some of the forty-four countries taking part in the ISG event are Algeria, Azerbaijan, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Guinea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Morocco, Malaysia, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, and Tajikistan. Turkmenistan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Uganda, Yemen, Guinea, Mauritania, Gambia, Nigeria, Jordan, Togo, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Cameroon, Mozambique, Lebanon, Tunisia, Somalia, Bahrain, Djibouti, Bangladesh, and Chad are also participating in the games. The host athletes will compete in 13 sporting events, including athletics, swimming, archery, badminton, soccer, tennis, wushu, beach volleyball, basketball, taekwondo, karate, and weightlifting. (*)