UN Climate Change Conference in Bali

From the 3-14 December 2007, Bali, will be the host for this most important conference of the year with more than 15,000 delegates from 168 countries attending the event - and officially more than 7,000 Indonesian armed troops and uncounted numbers of undercover agents from other parts of the world - and also many other visitors interested in environmental issues. While Ubud will not be the centre of attraction it will see its fair share of events before, during and after the conference ranging from special art exhibitions (Tony Raka gallery) to demonstrations of environmental projects in the area (Rotary Ubud waste management project). See also the constantly updated Ubud calendar of events on this page for more information about the different events.

Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the conference, writes in his official invitation to the world: Bali, the “island of the Gods” is a prime example of the beauty of our natural environment. At the same time, Indonesia has first-hand experience of the extreme weather events caused by climate change. Bali is therefore a poignant setting for the forthcoming crucial international negotiations on the way forward to save our planet from the devastating effects of global warming.

The Bali conference will be the culmination of a momentous twelve months in the climate debate and needs a breakthrough in the form of a roadmap for a future climate change deal. Early in the year, scientific evidence of global warming, as set out in the fourth assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), put the reality of human-induced global warming beyond any doubt. What we are facing is not only an environmental problem, but has much wider implications: For economic growth, water and food security, and for people's survival - especially those living in the poorest communities in developing countries. The recent joint award of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize to the IPCC for its work in disseminating knowledge on climate change further underlines the implications for overall peace and security."

The spirit of Bali lies in the appreciation of its people for “Ibu Pertiwi” (mother earth) and also in the principle of collectivity. In this spirit, we must take a collective step forward in establishing a roadmap for a post-2012 agreement."

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Nyepi 2007 - The day of silence

Sorry, No Post for today: We Are Out for Nyepi reads it on one Bali website. No phone call gets picked up, no email gets answered. The Balinese celebrating their New Year today: Nyepi.

No visitors are allowed to come to the island during the day of silence. All entry points, apart from the international airport, Gilimanuk Port in West Bali and Padang Bai Port in East Bali, will be closed. The island's Ngurah Rai International Airport will welcome its last flight on Sunday at midnight and will halt operations until the morning of March 20.

Ogoh-Ogohs 2006

The island is temporarily closed for 24 hours as of Monday morning at 6 a.m. through to the same time Tuesday to observe Nyepi (the Hindu Day of Silence).

90 percent of the island's 3.5 million inhabitants will practice Yoga Semedi and Catur Berata Penyepian (meditation), Amati Geni (which forbids them from lighting fires and switching on lights), Amati Karya (working), Amati Lelanguan (enjoying leisure activities) and Amati Lelungan (leaving their houses).

Visitors are encouraged to stay in their hotels during the holiday, as the island will be tightly guarded by traditional Balinese security guards, Pecalang, to ensure all people abide by the holiday regulations.

Bali will be completely darkened and silenced for a full day, allowing the island's Hindu population to meditate, contemplate and pray for a better future and visiting tourists to expereince one of Bali's most outstanding ceremonies as the Balinese welcome the Saka New Year 1929.

More photos with Ogoh-Ogohs 2006

We have illustrated this article with photos taken by Andreas Bittner at last New Years afternoon celebrations proceeeding the day of silence. Read more!

Start of Nyepi ceremonies: Melis Day

Three days before Nyepi, all the effigies of the Gods from all the village temples are taken to the river in long and colourful ceremonies. There, they have are bathed by the Neptune of the Balinese Lord, the God Baruna, before being taken back home to their shrines.

Melasti (Melis) is meant to clean the pratima or arca or pralingga (statue), with symbols that help to concentrate the mind in order to become closer to God. The ceremony is aimed to clean all nature and its content, and also to take the Amerta (the source for eternal life) from the ocean or other water resources (ie lake, river, etc). Therefore big ceremonies are held at all major beaches, also on Saba beach close to Ubud. Read more!

Tawur Kesanga: A year ends with fun and noice

As in many other villages one day before Nyepi Ubud will hold a large exorcism ceremony around noon around the main village cross road, the meeting place of the demons.

Ubud‘s Ogoh-ogoh (the fantastic monsters or evil spirits or the Butha Kala made of bamboo) are famous creatures for those carnival purposes. The Ogoh-ogoh monsters symbolize the evil spirits surrounding our environment which have to be got rid of from our lives .

Some are giants taken from classical Balinese lore. All have fangs, bulging eyes and scary hair and are illuminated by torches. Aim is to maintain a harmonic relation between human being and God, human and human, and human and their environments.

In the evening, the Hindus celebrating Ngerupuk, start making noises and light burning torches and set fire to the Ogoh-ogoh in order to get the Bhuta Kala, evil spirits, out of our lives. Sometimes pretty scary with all this noice and rockets around - till nearly total silence is falling over Bali. Read more!