The Gema Perdamaian (Echo of Peace) event held at Bajra Sandhi square in Denpasar at the weekend has given hundreds of children involved a chance to have fun while learning about religious tolerance.

During the event, held Sunday in conjunction with the commemoration of the 2002 Bali bombings, children from Adhi Mekar Indonesia (AMI) and Balinese dance studios performed songs and dances from Indonesia's regional areas.

The children later joined nearly 5,000 people in this year's Echo of Peace activity.

The words "peace" and "pluralism" are quite new for Putu Bagus Aditya, 11, a fifth grader from AMI Denpasar. After being introduced to various traditional dances, he chose to perform the dance of the Dayak people from Kalimantan.

"Wow, the clothes are cute...my face was painted using rice flour," Bagus said, while he happily waited for his turn to dance on stage. Even though his clothing consisted of banana leaves strung around his waist, Bagus said he was not concerned because the stranger he appeared, the more he enjoyed it.

Ayu Trisnawati, 11, of SD 1 Penatih elementary school in Denpasar, shared the same feeling. Ayu, who performed the Balinese dance Rejang, said she also wanted to join her classmates presenting the energetic Saman dance from Aceh. She laughed when she saw her friends making acrobatic movements, and singing in Achenese even though they did not know the language.

Dances were not the only highlight. Children were also introduced to prayers presented by prominent figures from the various religions in Indonesia.

Later, the religious figures led a one-kilometer parade of Padayatra -- a journey of peace -- circling the Bajra Sandhi square. One of the Hindu belief systems in Bali, Hare Krishna, joined the parade and presented prayer through songs performed with musical instruments.

A 500-meter long white cloth was carried by teenagers wearing traditional attire in line with their respective beliefs, as a symbol of the journey of peace.

This year's Echo of Peace focused on the campaign of pluralism.

"We try to open hearts and minds to the notion that differences and diversity in Indonesia are the base for peace," Suadiarta Indrajaya, head of the organizing committee, said.

Sudiarsa said only the hate and greediness of human beings had potential to destroy peace.

Balinese Governor Made Mangku Pastika appeared emotional when presenting his speech on peace.

"The bomb tragedy six years ago was committed by people who tried to monopolize truth. The result was that hundreds of innocent people were killed and peace in Bali and the world was ruined," he said.

As former head of the investigation team deployed by the National Police headquarters, the tragedy was very close to Pastika.

"We will continuously echo peace from the island of gods to the whole country and even the world. Peace is born from diversity and we have to work hand in hand to maintain it," he said.

Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly Hidayat Nurwahid said in his message, displayed via monitor, that there was no religion which campaigned for violence for the justification of the religion itself.

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