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anda Agustina, a 17-year-old girl from a vocational tourism school in Klungkung, said she was proud to take part in an interfaith jamboree recently organized by the provincial office for religious affairs.

"I represent a Balinese youth who loves pluralism. I slept in the tent together with participants from various religious backgrounds. It's fun," she said.

She and her friends had just finished planting mangrove trees on the northern coast of Serangan, as part of the jamboree's environmental agenda.

After planting the trees, a group of students and officials from the provincial religious office walked to the other side of the isthmus to release two-week-old baby turtles.

Once known as Turtle Island, Serangan and its people have for decades struggled to shed the island's infamous image as a haven for the illegal turtle trade.

As many as 1,024 students participated in the inter-faith Jamboree in Serangan village from Jul. 13 to 15.

During the three-day camp, they were involved in activities including talks on religious harmony and the detriment of drugs and alcohol and performed marches and national songs.

The students also took part in competitions on the Hindu daily prayer of trisandya, yoga and poetry. Islamic students joined activities such as Tadabbur Alam (contemplation of nature) and writing the essence of the Koran.

During the camp, the students engaged in active dialogues with friends about pluralism and respecting the others' rituals and religious beliefs.

Banners emblazoned with messages of pluralism and positive-thinking were set up around the jamboree area.

The event's organizing committee head I Gusti Komang Sumberjana, said the jamboree was held to teach pluralist values. Previously, the annual jamboree was held for each religion separately.