The Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) park has been chosen by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo as a venue for the G20 summit from Nov.15-16. On the first day, the park’s Lotus Pond area will be the setting for the welcoming dinner, thus presenting an opportunity to promote the park’s traditional beauty to international delegates.

The park has undergone preparations since June, starting from renovations and rearranging the access points. “Access is our main priority as we need to ensure that the entry to the G20 venue will be free of lines. We need to consider feasibility and orderliness while also enhancing the park’s overall presentation,” said GWK operational director Stefanus Yonathan Astayasa.

The Lotus Pond is GWK’s largest outdoor landmark with a capacity of over 7,500 people. Stefanus expected 300-400 guests to attend the banquet, while the remaining delegates would enjoy their dinner at the Jendela Bali restaurant.

The Lotus Pond area presents a magnificent picture with a wall of limestone cliffs lining on the right and left side. At the end of the rows stand the magnificent Garuda statue carrying the god Vishnu on its back.

At the entrance to the Lotus Pond is the Tirta Agung sacred watering grounds. Visitors are greeted with carved relief slabs that tell the story of the mythical bird Garuda Wisnu Kencana that became the Protector God’s loyal steed.

Meanwhile, the ever-present Lotus in Vishnu’s hand is a sign of beauty, prosperity and fertility. While its root may be planted deep in the mud, the flower blossoms above the murky depths as a symbol of the richness of humanity and the entire cosmos.

“We’re planning to indulge visitors with a whole new experience, from the statue’s ground floor to the 23rd floor. Our goal is to make a memorable impression for tourists and delegates alike,” Stefanus added.

He showed confidence that the G20 Summit would bring a positive impact to the destination in the long run. This drove the park’s management to renovate more facilities and implement new upgrades to the park.

The Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural park was first designed by renowned sculptor Nyuman Nuarta in 1980s. At first, the idea of building the GWK park was overlooked due to the financial resources it would consume until the construction finally began in 1997. On Sep. 22, 2018, President Jokowi inaugurated the 60-hectare property as a cultural park.

GWK is famous for the Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue with its towering height of 120 meters. Made of copper, steel and brass, the artwork became famous as a timeless icon for the age of civilization. On the shoulder of Vishnu is an ornament made from pieces of bright pieces of glass and gold mosaic. Bali’s traditional ornament, badong, is also affixed to the crown and breastplate of the statue.

“As an icon of Bali and Indonesia that we take pride in, we are immensely happy to see GWK chosen because we know that the delegates are curious to see what the cultural park is like,” added Stefanus.

Since Friday, the park has seen an influx of tourists arriving with tour buses parked across the Jendela Bali restaurant. Security is also seen along the entrance to the site of the welcoming dinner for Nov. 15.

The GWK park will be closing its doors to tourists for four days, starting from Nov. 12-15. GWK employees are also given leave for the entire four adys in preparation for the upcoming G20 summit’s series of events.

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