Coca Cola Amatil Indonesia (CCAI) and Quiksilver Indonesia (QI) have united to create Bali’s Big Eco Weekend from Friday 1 to Sunday 3 July, welcoming the start of the Australian school holidays.

CCAI and QI are working with the Bali government led by Governor Made Mangku Pastika, the Indonesian Environment Minister, Professor Gusti Muhammad Hatta, community leaders and NGOs, to generate support and encourage environmental sustainability at Bali’s first ever community environmental conference, the Bali Clean and Green Stakeholder Networking and Solution Forum.

CCA Director of Media and Public Affairs, Sally Loane, says the three day event is an opportunity for Australians to give back to Bali.

“Bali is one of our most loved destinations and anyone heading over for the holidays has the chance to immerse themselves in the activities over the Big Eco Weekend – which include cleaning the beaches, watching the surfing events and releasing baby sea turtles into the ocean.” Ms Loane said.

“Bali’s Big Eco Weekend will also support the Indonesian and Balinese Government’s Bali Clean and Green Road Map program, which is focusing on the need to ensure Bali’s unique environment is looked after.”

CCAI started cleaning beaches in Bali in 2008 with the one-day event, the Bali Coastal Clean Up. Since then the clean-up has grown into a daily program on cleaning six beaches, with 76 CCAI staff and two Coke tractors collecting tonnes of rubbish, much of which is recycled.

This year the public Bali Beach Clean Up will commence on the iconic beaches of Jimbaran, Kedonganan, Kuta, Legian and Seminyak on Sunday 3 July, and hundreds of participants are expected to join in.

Surfing has played an important part in the development of the tourism industry in Bali and acts as a gateway to other destinations throughout Indonesia. Surfing activities during Bali’s Big Eco Weekend   includes a under 16s King of the Groms and Locals vs Legends surfing competition involving Australian surfing legends Mark Richards, Tom Carrol, Martin Potter, Cheyan Horan and Jake Paterson.

Another highlight over the weekend will be Bali’s biggest baby sea turtle release where hundreds of baby sea turtles will be released into the ocean by locals and tourists. The baby turtles are hatched in safety, away from beach predators in a special giant turtle-shaped hatchery on Kuta Beach which was built by CCAI and QI.

Other weekend activities include a life saver race, interactive eco-village activities, surfboard painting, music and moonlight movie cinema, awards ceremony and finale beach party.

For further information please visit:

www.coca-colaamatil.co.id and follow the prompts to Bali’s Big Eco Weekend.

Or contact:

Anna Zakaras at Map and Page: anna@mapandpage.com.au / 02 9368 4510.