Jakarta - Indonesian National Batik Day was celebrated on Wednesday at Mangkunegaran palace in Central Java.

Five hundred participants celebrated the day by learning to paint batik. It sent the message of the need to preserve the UNESCO’s world’s intangible cultural heritage.

President Widodo and First Lady Iriana Widodo painted batik to promote the wax-resist dyeing technique as an icon of Indonesian culture.  Besides painting, the event was enlivened by dancers wearing batik clothes.

During his speech, President Widodo hoped more young people would learn batik painting skills.

UNESCO inscribed batik on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity ten years ago.

Indonesia celebrates National Batik Day on Oct. 2 every year.