Supporting the Creative Economy and Cultural Heritage, GWK Collaborates with the Association to Commemorate Arak Day

MEDIA RELEASE Badung, January 29, 2024. GWK Cultural Park once again supports community-based economic growth by collaborating with the Bali Arak Berem Association to commemorate Bali Arak Day. Based on the issuance of Gubernatorial Regulation No. 1 of 2020 concerning the Management of Fermented and/or Distilled Beverages, January 29 was designated as Bali Arak Day by Wayan Koster, Governor of Bali for the 2018-2023 period. This day is intended to recognize arak, a cultural heritage, as stipulated in the Certificate of the Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, No. 3031/F4/KB.09.06/2022. On October 21, Bali Arak was designated as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Indonesia. It is also a day to celebrate the blessings that arak brings to the Balinese people, especially local farmers. "The number of Balinese arak farmers/craftsmen, originally recorded at 1,472, has now reached more than 2,550, spread across all regencies in Bali. The number of Arak Producer Cooperatives that accommodate farmers' arak has reached 10 business units, while the number of alcoholic beverage product variants legally produced by Alcoholic Beverage Factories that use Balinese arak as the main ingredient has reached 48 brands," explained Wayan Koster, Governor of Bali for the 2018-2023 period and the initiator of Gubernatorial Regulation No. 1 of 2020. Wayan Koster, who championed the international acceptance of Balinese arak, designated GWK Cultural Park as the location for the Balinese Arak Day commemoration, introducing Balinese arak to a wider audience by displaying the beverage and educating interested visitors. "GWK Cultural Park is an iconic tourist destination steeped in Balinese culture, making it the perfect location for this commemoration. Arak Day is our opportunity to commemorate the blessings we receive from local wisdom, a traditional beverage that contributes trillions to customs revenues," explained Wayan Koster. Packaged with a series of events featuring several dances, including the GWK Kecak Dance, Bali Arak Day seems to unite the Balinese people and culture. In 2022, Customs and Excise reported that MEA excise stamp payments in Bali were around 1 trillion rupiah, but only 0.25% were for arak products. This remains a challenge, as per Governor Regulation No. 99 of 2018, which requires all industries in Bali to use approximately 30% of local Balinese products. Therefore, collaborative efforts are needed to increase the absorption of arak and other Balinese fermented products. "GWK Cultural Park, as a tourist destination rooted in Balinese culture, certainly supports the preservation of cultural heritage, especially since the quality of Balinese arak (arak) is now comparable to international brands. Similar to how we supported the growth of MSMEs at the Bali Countdown 2024 event, in addition to providing a venue for international events, GWK also provides a space for the preservation of local wisdom," said Stefanus Yonathan Astayasa, Operations Director of GWK Cultural Park. The commemoration was attended by 200 special invitees representing stakeholders from all levels. In addition to invited association leaders, they also included leaders and representatives from five-star hotels such as The Apurva Kempinski, The Ritz-Carlton Bali, The Westin, and other property and business units from the Nusa Dua, Kuta, Ubud, and Kintamani areas, all of whom use Balinese arak products. Several cooperative units and representatives of local farmers were also invited to the celebration. About Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) Cultural Park is a 60-hectare cultural park located in Ungasan, Badung Regency, approximately 10-15 minutes from Ngurah Rai International Airport. Since 2012, under the management of PT Alam Sutera Realty Tbk, GWK has undergone various facility renovations. Improvements to facilities and infrastructure in the main areas of GWK Cultural Park, such as Plaza Wisnu, Lotus Pond, Festival Park, Amphitheater, Indraloka Park, Tirta Agung, and others, have been made to enhance visitor comfort. In 2018, the GWK statue, an icon of Indonesia, was inaugurated by the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Ir. Joko Widodo. The GWK Cultural Park area consists of several venues, including Plaza Wisnu, Lotus Pond, and the 5,000-square-meter Festival Park with a capacity of 15,000 visitors. The 1.4-hectare Mandalaloka, which holds 30,000 visitors and frequently hosts major national and international events, is also located within the park. The amphitheater, which serves as a venue for arts and cultural performances, has a seating capacity of up to 500. As a 21st-century tourism destination, GWK is currently developing into a cultural park, presenting a variety of events, including cultural performances, entertainment attractions, diverse sculptures, and unique limestone cliff landscape art. GWK also offers a culinary destination, highlighting the charm of Ungasan Hill at Jendela Bali and Beranda Resto. A variety of unique and attractive souvenirs are available at Kencana Souvenir. For more information, please contact: Guest & Public Relations Department GWK Cultural ParkJalan Raya Uluwatu, Ungasan, Kuta, BaliTelephone: (0361) – 700808 ext.8115Email: info@gwkbali.com