President SBY named 'Elder of Indonesian Reog'

The Indonesian Reog Artists' Association awarded the honorary title of "Elder of Indonesian Reog" to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono here on Saturday, Antara reported.

The award was presented by Indonesian Reog Artists'
Association Chairman Begung Purnomosidi when the president was visiting Wonogiri.

The head of state and First Lady Ani Yudhoyono were greeted by hundreds of Reog mask dancers who performed the Bedoyo Mustiko Retno dance.

Begung Purnomosidi, who is also Wonogiri District Chief, said the Bedoyo Mustiko Retno dance was believed to be able to prevent future natural disasters.

Wonogiri was lately hit by a spate of natural disasters such as floods, he said.

President Yudhoyono said the disasters that had occurred in several countries, including Indonesia, lately were a result of climate change and global warming. The scales of the disasters were tending to increase from year to year, he said.