TRIBUNFLORES.COM, LABUAN BAJO – The 2025 Golo Koe Festival is set to make Labuan Bajo a home for everyone, embracing the theme, “Weaving Nationality and Sustainable Tourism that is Synodal and Inclusive.”

This year’s Golo Koe Festival, organized by the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, will take place from August 10 to August 15, 2025, in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai. The festival serves as an open stage for all members of the Diocese, ensuring they are not just guests but the main actors in the event. This was stated by RD. Richard Manggu, Pr, General Chairman of the 2025 Golo Koe Festival, during a press conference at the Diocese of Labuan Bajo house on Saturday, August 9, 2025. Father Richard also mentioned that the 2025 festival will be different from previous years.

“This year we are starting as a new Diocese in Labuan Bajo with Maria Immaculata as our patron,” said the Vicar General of the Diocese of Labuan Bajo. He added that the procession of Bunda Maria Assumpta Nusantara would not only go to the parishes but would be delivered “to all regions of the Diocese of Labuan Bajo. It was initially only for the parishes, but the parish priests are now taking her to the outstations as well.”

Father Richard explained that through the collaboration of the Church and the West Manggarai Regency Government via the Golo Koe Festival, many social issues can be addressed together through effective and efficient collaborative work. “The involvement of universities—Unika St. Paulus, Poltek eLBajo Commodus—and schools gives them a significant role. We have also involved the TNI and Polri from the beginning. Their active involvement shows that Labuan Bajo is far from being intolerant. The Church stands for humanity and the common good,” said RD. Richard Manggu, Pr. The Head of the Organizing Committee for the 2025 Golo Koe Festival, Fransiskus Sodo, stated that the festival’s theme aligns with the vision and mission of the Head of West Manggarai Regency, which is to promote sustainable tourism. “We want to create an inclusive harmony in Labuan Bajo. We aim to boost tourism, especially in the spiritual tourism segment,” said Frans.

According to Fransiskus Sodo, the 2025 Golo Koe Festival will not only involve Catholics but also other religious groups, especially those active in several diverse parishes. “From August 10 to 15, 2025, several important activities will be held. We will have art, cultural, and traditional music performances. We have a record of 40 art groups participating,” he said. A cultural parade will take place on August 12, with the starting point in front of Siloam Hospital. The parade will then proceed along Jalan Soekarno-Hatta before reaching Waterfron City, the final destination of the cultural festival. This event will be attended by 35 participants from various groups, communities, and organizations.

Other activities include a colossal dance on August 12, followed by art and cultural performances. “The UMKM exhibition will involve 160 local UMKM, which is more than last year when there were only 130. There were still many other registrants who could not be accommodated due to capacity limitations,” said Hans, as Fransiskus Sodo is affectionately known. He added that most of the participating UMKM are small and medium-sized businesses.

Hans also mentioned that religious activities would be held on August 11, with a grand Mass on August 15 as the final event of the Golo Koe Festival. Other activities include ecological initiatives such as clean-ups and tree planting, as well as social activities like providing aid and basic food packages to impoverished communities.

“The regional government’s contribution to this event from the APBD (Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget) is Rp 250 million,” said the West Manggarai Regency Regional Secretary.

Source: Tribun Flores
Image Source: labuanbajotoday.com