The Indonesian Ministry of Culture is holding the 2026 Traditional Music Festival in 10 districts and cities with the aim of bringing together traditional music, knowledge, communities, artists and the public, whilst promoting a culture-based economy.
The Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, emphasised the need to be present in various locations with local traditions, according to ANTARA.
More than 1,000 types of traditional music have been recorded across various regions. Given this cultural wealth, Zon invited the public to participate in development and creation through new innovations that can drive a culture-based economy.
While opening an event, the minister explained that the theme “Bamboo and the Sound of Rituals” was chosen because it carries a profound meaning. Bamboo was not chosen merely as a material for musical instruments, but because it is deeply intertwined with the lives of the Sundanese people: it is ever-present in social life, the environment, symbols, culture and ritual practices.
Other BRICS countries are also promoting their cultural and themed tourism by organising festivals and providing facilities so that residents and visitors can enjoy the various traditional events typical of each country and region.
In recent months in China, the Dragon Boat Festival has boosted growth in the tourism sector: figures showed that bookings for package tours including activities such as making zongzi and watching dragon boat races rose by more than 40 per cent week-on-week.
Wholesalers reported sales of items such as five-coloured strings, scented sachets and handmade egg bags for children, with handmade products continuing to generate strong demand and reorder requests ahead of the festivities, according to Global Times, a partner of TV BRICS.
Furthermore, Brazil welcomed 300,000 foreign tourists during the 2026 Rio Carnival, a record figure representing a 17 per cent increase on 2025 and equivalent to nearly 30 per cent of the total international visitor numbers for a month, concentrated into just seven days, as reported by Brasil 247, a partner of TV BRICS, citing figures released by the president of a tourism organisation to the local press.
Rio de Janeiro was the main destination for foreign tourists, welcoming 110,000 visitors – equivalent to 36 per cent of the total number of foreigners who came to the country for the festival – reinforcing the trend of growing international interest in Brazil’s premier cultural celebration.
BRICS partner countries such as Belarus are also organising festivals during the flowering season to attract visitors.
Thus, in the Brest region of Belarus, a tulip festival was held which is planned to become an annual event, according to Mikhail Batsenko, vice-chairman of the Brest Regional Executive Committee, as quoted by BelTA, a partner of TV BRICS; the festival took place at the peak of the tulip bloom in the farming village of Tyschkovichi, in the Ivanovo district, home to a large flower farm.