Bali’s region of Buleleng will play host to the World Mask Festival to be held November 23-26, 2011.

Home to its own unique mask tradition of the Wayang Wong centered in the village of Tejakula, 40 kilometers east of Buleleng’s capital of Singaraja, Buleleng has the backing of the International Mask Arts & Culture Organization (IMACO) in hosting the event expecting to attract 300 foreign participants representing 56 countries.

In anticipation of a gathering or world mask performers, the government is preparing the Gedung Budaya located near the former port of Buleleng at a cost of Rp. 3 billion (US$333,000) with work targeted to be completed by September.

Su-Hyun Kwan of IMACO, one of the founders of the World Mask Festival, visited Buleleng on Wednesday, March 9, 2011, to personally inspect the preparations for the November event. He told the press that Buleleng was a natural choice for the festival given Tejakula’s special connection with mask dancing.

Source : www.baliwonderful.com