A cultural spectacle unfolded on 21 September 2024 as the Green School Foundation held their annual ‘IGNITE Fundraising Gala’. The distinguished event, held in the royal palace of Puri Agung Kerambitan, Tabanan, was a magical experience from start to finish, featuring extravagant presentations of Balinese dance, music, art and cuisine.
The mission of the Green School Foundation, a registered non-profit, is to provide educational opportunities for local Balinese children. The initiatives are wide-ranging, including developing sustainable projects in elementary schools, establishing waste management and permaculture centres, to funding skill-based training for Indonesian teachers. One highlight project is the Agricultural University Scholarship Program, which provides full scholarships to children of farmers studying in the field of agriculture, as a way of bolstering a future for Bali’s agriculture industry.
The foundation’s work began in 2008, starting as a local scholarship program that enrolled Balinese students into Green School Bali; this grew and evolve into a broader reaching mission to affect more positive change across the island. One of the foundation’s big fundraising efforts every year is their IGNITE Gala, having just successfully completed their sixth annual event.
The 2024 gala was theme “The Heritage of Royal Balinese Kingdom,” which was a true reflection of the monumental production that took place on the evening.
Starting at 4pm, distinguished guests entered through the gates of the extravagantly decorated royal palace, dressed in Formal Traditional Elegance. They were instantly welcomed by the ‘IGNITE experience’, whereby the cocktail reception featured canapés and drinks from Syrco BASÈ and orchestral performance led by I Gusti Putu Sudarta, a prominent artist and lecturer at the Indonesian Institute of the Arts, Denpasar.
During this time, guests could browse the upcoming auction items, and also tour their away around Puri Agung Kerambitan grounds, where ‘local scenes’ were created to bring the palace to life, much like a living museum.
Then, as evening arrived, guests were paraded ceremoniously to the dinner area and opulent main stage. Once seated, all were welcomed by the host, the 9th generation King of Puri Agung Kerambitan himself, Anak Agung Ngurah Indra Bangsawan.
A royal spread unfolded under the stars, with heritage Balinese dishes served sharing-style, prepared by none other than Nusantara by Locavore and LocavoreNXT, two of Ubud’s leading restaurants recognised for environmental sustainability and social responsibility.
Meanwhile, the main stage came alive with a theatrical performance that fused Balinese folk dance and contemporary storytelling, a meaningful and magical display of local culture brought to modern audiences. The final show was a traditional-themed fashion show featuring heritage fabrics, a collaboration with the Indira Laksmi Bali fashion house, and supported by ikat woven fabrics sponsored by Pertenunan Setia Cap Cili, the oldest weaving gallery and studio in Gianyar, Bali.
The most anticipated part of the event was of course the live auction, a boisterous and entertaining affair that saw a fabulous variety of offerings up for bidding, all donated by companies and individuals in support of Green School Foundation.
These included luxury stays in Indonesia’s top resorts, bespoke cultural experiences, timeless fashion items, traditional art pieces, and perhaps most popular, priceless antiques —including a historical, wood-carved Balinese door donated by the royal palace themselves. The evening ended with cocktails and dancing on stage, as the palace transformed into a one-of-a-kind party, with the most extraordinary backdrop.
From the setting to traditional decoration, performances and heritage cuisine, IGNITE was a real example of how Balinese culture could be celebrated, drawing in appreciation and applause from a captive audience.
Of course, most important of all was the fundraising efforts of the gala. IGNITE 2024 raised more IDR 800,000,000 (over use 50,000) through ticket sales, silent and live auctions, donation pledges and sponsorships. These proceeds will all go to the Green School Foundation’s important programs, which allow Balinese students to receive sustainability-focused education.
“Sustainability learning should become a vital component of education for everyone,” states Kania Maniasa, Executive Director of the Green School Foundation. “We focus on how we can regenerate this island by empowering local students, Indonesian students, to become the next generation of farmers. By helping these students become future farmers, we are not only changing their lives, but also changing the lives of their families, their communities, and the villages around them.”
You can follow or support Green School Foundation’s ongoing efforts, and make sure you do not miss next year’s IGNITE Fundraising Gala.
@greenschoolfoundation
greenschoolfoundation.org
