North Sumatra, ArchipelagoPost - The heat of the sun on the top of Hutaginjang hill did not also reduce the cool breeze which made all participants of the Indonesian Press Camp amazed to start activities in the protected forest area of the Toba Caldera Geosite area on Thursday (11/14) last week.
The natural scenery at an altitude of 1650 feet behind the vastness of Lake Toba with a series of beautiful islands increasingly adds to the enthusiasm of journalists and editor in chief of various media exploring the recognition of the UNESCO Global Geopark of the Toba Caldera Geopark.
From the top of the Hutaginjang hill, all participants from the Indonesian Press Camp began surfing with their cameras recording the natural beauty of the highest geosite out of 16 geosites found in the Toba Caldera Geopark. The stretching of the Indonesian Press Camp began to spur the pulse of the Toba Caldera so that it could go global through media networks.
Continuing to Sibandang Tourism Island, participants and officials of the North Sumatra Province and North Tapanuli Regency apparatus were warmly welcomed by local residents.
The opening ceremony, which was attended by a series of officials from North Sumatra Province and North Tapanuli Regency, indicated that the Indonesian Press Camp was recognized and fully supported by the local government. Among them were Head of the North Sumatra Province Communication and Information Agency Muhammad Ayub representing the Governor of North Sumatra, North Tapanuli Regent who was represented by secretary of regency first assistant Parsaoran Hutagalung , General Manager of Toba Caldera Manager represented by the Head of North Sumatra Tourism Office Unggul Sitanggang, Head of North Tapanuli Tourism Office, North Tapanuli Police Chief represented by Police Commissioner Adjutant (AKP) Benyamin Pakpahan, Dandim 0210 Major FA Wasno, Muara District Chief, Josua Napitupulu, and a number of Village Heads.
The Government of North Tapanuli Regency has even officially stated that it is the main supporter of the implementation of this activity. The full support of the local government in carrying out the activities of the Indonesian Press Camp proves the legitimacy of the press organization and mass media outside the constituents of the Press Council in this area which is quite encouraging.
Propaganda of the Press Council which has been discrediting press organizations outside the constituency and accusing thousands of unverified media as undoubtedly undisputed media through the activities of the Indonesian Press Camp.
The Press Union of the Republic of Indonesia (SPRI) answered the Press Council's propaganda with performance-based activities. The Initiative of regional leadership council (DPD) SPRI of North Sumatra Province held this Indonesian Press Camp activity, and it was responded very positively by the local government. In fact, most of the participants who attended were journalists from the media that had not been verified by the Press Council.
The Press Council may be busy with its propaganda saying that the unverified fake media are prohibited from cooperating with the regional government. The Indonesian Press Camp activity proves that the majority of participants coming from unverified media have actually played an active role in helping local governments to promote and disseminate information about regional tourism potential, especially the Toba Caldera Geosite.
The Press Council propaganda does not apply to the activities of the Indonesian Press Camp. The Government of North Tapanuli Regency precisely cooperates with DPD SPRI and media partners of the Indonesian Press Camp to promote the potential of the Toba Caldera Geosite. Even when the opening took place, the North Sumatra Provincial Government through the Head of the Tourism Office said that it would officially involve the DPD SPRI and its media network to be actively involved in the implementation of the Lake Toba Festival this December.
No less extraordinary support came from North Tapanuli Regent Nikson Nababan who specifically assigned Muara District Chief Josua Napitupulu to assist the entire series of activities of the Indonesian Press Camp from morning to night for three consecutive days.
Some of the tourist sites that had been visited by participants of the Indonesian Press Camp one of which was the Batak Traditional House on Sibandang Island. A number of indigenous traditional houses hundreds of years old still stand firm in the middle of the houses of other residents.
Participants also briefly visited the Janji waterfall tourist site. At this location participants are prohibited from saying dirty words. And it is said that there was a pair of couples who had not been able to have a baby for a long time, then made a pledge of promise in front of this waterfall and after a few months later the wife reportedly managed to conceive and then had a baby.
Leaving the beauty of the Janji waterfall, the group of participants then took time to visit the "Ulos" woven crafts. According to the craftswomen here, each Ulos woven handmade can be completed in approximately 7 days. The price of this beautiful woven handmade ranges from 71 US $ to 142 US $
The beauty of nature at the Geosite Spinsur location also did not passed from the visit of participants of the Indonesian Press Camp. Led by the Devis Karmoy - Head of the Committee, the participants were treated to a sight that really spoiled the eyes. Set in the scenery of Lake Toba as if painted naturally by the scratches of the islands attached to the beautiful lake on the distance from a distance.
At the end of the Indonesian Press Camp event, participants were herded into the exile home of Indonesian First President Soekarno to look at the situation when the proclaimer was once exiled in this place.
In closing the whole series of Indonesian Press Camp writhing, participants attended a symposium on the recognition of the Toba Caldera Geopark as the world's Geopark, and finally the journalistic training on feature news writing techniques by the speaker Editor in Chief of the media Jayakarta Roso Daras. (SPRI-release)