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`Inspirational' group to hoist flag below waves
A unique event is set to liven up the 65th Independence Day celebrations on Aug
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unique event is set to liven up the 65th Independence Day celebrations on Aug. 17, with 11 disabled divers set to raise the national flag underwater.
The divers from Senang Hati Foundation, a Bali-based NGO for the people living with disabilities, will raise the flag at seven meters below sea level at one of the island's most popular dive sites Tulamben, Karangasem regency.
The event aims to raise government awareness of the need for more infrastructure and facilities to support the people who are less mobile, Avandy Djunaedi, instructor from the International Association for Handicapped Divers, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.
"We also want show people that those with disabilities are just as able to do activities as any other person," said Avandy, a diver with 25 years of experience, who has voluntarily trained handicapped divers for the last three years.
According to him, the group of 11 are the first disabled people to dive in Indonesia. Some of them took part in an underwater flag hoisting in Sanur two years ago.
"They are paralyzed from the waist down," he said, adding that diving is good to train their muscles and stimulate their bodies to generate new cells.
With this event, he continued, the organizer also wanted to promote Bali as a disable-friendly destination.
"There are many disabled people who dive, and they're looking for a new destination."
Organizers also aim to motivate other professional divers to share their knowledge and work with disabled divers.
One member of the organizing committee, Kartika Dewi Suardana, who also helped train the group, said it was inspirational to see the disabled people learning to dive.
"It was touching. They struggle in their daily lives, yet they're still enthusiastic to dive," she said.
Dewi said the 11 divers have been intensively practicing for the last three months for the Independence Day event.
"They joined class sessions in Tampaksiring, and they practiced in a pool in Ubud, twice a week."
On the day, they will be under the water for around 30 minutes to raise the flag and sing the national anthem.
"They will be divided in four groups that will each be assisted by supervisors," Avandy said.
