Labuan Bajo's Golo Koe Festival promotes eco care, sustainable tourism

Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA) - The 2026 Golo Koe Labuan Bajo Maria Assumpta Nusantara Festival is expected to strengthen environmental conservation efforts and support the development of sustainable tourism in Labuan Bajo, a super-priority destination in East Nusa Tenggara.

Acting President Director of the Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Authority Agency (BPOLBF), Andhy MT Marpaung, said on Friday said that the festival, which is part of the 2026 Kharisma Event Nusantara (KEN) program, not only highlights the cultural and religious values of the Flores people but also supports sustainable local economic growth.

"The Golo Koe Festival not only strengthens the cultural identity and religious values of Flores but also encourages local economic growth based on the principles of sustainability," he stated at the launch of the 2026 Golo Koe Festival in Labuan Bajo.

According to Marpaung, the collaboration between the Labuan Bajo Diocese, the West Manggarai District Government, the Tourism Ministry, BPOLBF, communities, and business actors was crucial to presenting quality activities that provide benefits to both the community and the environment.

The festival launch included a beach cleanup at Sudamala Resort, the planting of coconut seedlings, and the release of a pair of doves as a symbol of peace and commitment to environmental sustainability.

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The 2026 Golo Koe Festival will begin with the Maria Assumpta Nusantara Procession on July 10, 2026, which will visit 26 parishes in the Labuan Bajo Diocese.

The peak of the festival is scheduled to take place from August 10 to 15, 2026, in Labuan Bajo, featuring various religious, cultural, creative economy, and environmental education activities, including MSME and culinary exhibitions, a cultural carnival, Caci performances, the Maria Assumpta Nusantara procession, a grand Eucharistic celebration, as well as art and music concerts.

Marpaung noted that the Golo Koe Festival has become the leading tourism and cultural event in eastern Indonesia and had been included in the Kharisma Event Nusantara curation as part of efforts to strengthen the appeal of culture, religion, and sustainability based tourism.

Additionally, W Manggarai District Head Edistasius Endi said the festival launch, coincided with World Environment Day, reflected a shared commitment to preserving the environment and promoting sustainable development.

"The theme and tagline of the 2026 Golo Koe Festival must be realized through concrete action, not merely ceremony. Let us work together to protect the Earth as our common home for a clean, sustainable, and resilient future for West Manggarai," Endi said.

Labuan Bajo Bishop Mgr. Maksimus Regus said this year's Golo Koe Festival also served as momentum to strengthen awareness and concrete action in addressing the challenges of the climate crisis and ecological scarcity currently facing the world.

"The climate crisis and ecological scarcity are real challenges for us. The Golo Koe Festival provides a collaborative space to care for the earth as our shared home while encouraging spiritual, social, and economic transformation that supports sustainable life," he remarked.

The Golo Koe Festival, first held in 2022, has now become a leading cultural and religious event in eastern Indonesia.

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Translator: Kornelis Kaha, Resinta Sulistiyandari

Editor: Bayu Prasetyo

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