Book lovers club to host 10th storytelling festival

The Children’s Book Lovers Club (KPBA) is scheduled to hold its 10th storytelling festival at Bentara Budaya Jakarta on Thursday. Seven international storytellers and 26 local residents will participate in the four-day event dedicated to both children and adults.

The KPBA, which holds the festival every two years, said on Tuesday that storytellers from the US, Thailand, Singapore and other countries would deliver their tales in Indonesian, Malay, Chinese and English to represent world culture.

"The club will provide translators for stories delivered in a foreign language," said KPBA chairwoman Murti Bunanta said as quoted by kompas.com.

“The important part is that the festival will introduce world culture to children. We can educate children through this culture," she added.

A puppet group from Singkawang, West Kalimantan, who regularly perform a marionette puppet show, will also take part in the festival.

During the festival, audiences can enjoy storytelling performances for free. The KPBA has scheduled storytelling performances to be delivered twice a day: between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. and between 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. (lfr/iwa)