More than 1,600 people participated in the 10th National Folklore Festival (NFF) at the University of Indonesia in Depok, West Java, on March 8-11.

Dressed in traditional costumes, 35 choirs and 42 dance teams from around the country participated in the university's biggest choir and traditional dance competition, which includes high school, university and public categories.

This year's event, initiated by students from the School of Economics, was themed Sanskardhani, the Sanskrit term for "living in culture". NFF project officer Muhammad Nauval said in a press release that the festival aimed to encourage the young generation to integrate Indonesia's cultural diversity into their everyday life amid the rapid influx of foreign cultures.

The panel of judges, which included Indonesian soprano Aning Katamsi and traditional dance practitioners Haryati Abelam, Swarna Gita from SMAN 39 state high school in Jakarta and the Pancasila University choir were announced as the winners of the choir competition in the high school and university/public categories, respectively. In the traditional dance competition, trophies were bagged by Nawa Prameswari from SMAN 58 state high school in Jakarta, Rampoe UGM and Sanggar Putra Purna Yudha. (kes)