After the first Bali Bombing in 2002
at Kuta, a permanent memorial was built on the site of the destroyed Paddy's
Pub on Legian Street. (A new bar, named "Paddy's: Reloaded", was
reopened further along Legian Street.) The memorial is made of intricately
carved stone, set with a large marble plaque, which bears the names and
nationalities of each of those killed. It is flanked by the national flags of
the victims.
The monument is well-maintained and illuminated at
night.
night.
The memorial was dedicated on 12
October 2004, the second anniversary of the attack. The dedication included a
Balinese Hindu ceremony and the opportunity for mourners to lay flowers and
other offerings. The Australian ambassador and Indonesian officials attended
the ceremony as most of the victims were Australians.
The Balinese mark their commitment
in a nine-day long event. After major cleansing ceremonies, establishing a
memorial for the lost lives, and paying respect to those who left loved ones
behind, the people of Kuta look forward to restoring Bali’s image through an
event named "Kuta Karnival — A Celebration of Life”. The community event
consists of traditional art performances such as Balinese Sunset Dances, sports
on the beach as well as in the water for young and old plus rows and rows of
culinary displays along the one kilometre of sandy beach.
In line with the return of tourism
to Kuta, Kuta Karnival has grown into a tourism promotional event with major
coverage from television and newspapers from across the globe. Companies,
embassies, Non-Government Organizations, associations and even individuals come
forth to get involved in the various events such as a Balinese dance
competition presented by a surf-wear company, an environment exhibition
presented by an embassy, a fun cycle presented by a group of individuals, a
seminar presented by an association and a parade on the streets presented by an
NGO. Tourists and locals alike, more than ninety thousand people participates
in the numerous events, year after year.
A repeated tragedy in Bali in 2005 did not
reduce the Kuta community’s determination to carry out this annual event. Kuta
Karnival is conducted to commemorate and give respect to the victims of human
violence and show the world the true spirit of local community survival despite
terrorism attacks.