A cultural troupe from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) will represent the state and Malaysia at a world music and dance festival in France next month. State Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said 20 students from Badan Budaya Unimas (Bayu) would leave on Thursday (July 27) to participate in the Festival de Confolens. The annual festival takes place in Confolens, southern France, on Aug 9-15. “I’m proud to see young Sarawakians being actively involved in local arts and traditions. “By participating in the festival, the students will not only help to preserve our cultural heritage but promote Sarawak to the world,” he told a press conference here on Tuesday (July 25). Abdul Karim said Bayu’s participation was supported by the ministry’s heritage, arts and culture facilitation fund. 
State Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah (seated centre) with Bayu members at a press conference in Kuching. – ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE/The Star “We will continue to provide support and opportunities to arts practitioners to preserve and develop Sarawak’s traditional arts and culture. “We also want to nurture young creative talents to sustain our heritage,” he said. Unimas vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohamad Kadim Suaidi said the 20 students, who come from various faculties, would be accompanied by 10 Bayu staff members on the trip. “We are honoured to represent Sarawak and Malaysia at the festival and to showcase our multicultural society,” he said. Unimas arts and cultural unit head Noor Azrul Mohd Ariff said the Bayu troupe would perform Sarawak’s traditional music and dances at the festival. “We will not be performing anything modern but the traditional dances of Sarawak’s ethnic groups including the Iban, Orang Ulu, Bidayuh, Melanau and Malay,” he said.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
