Culture Minister pushes collaboration to advance sustainable culture

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Culture Minister Fadli Zon held a strategic meeting with the Museum and Cultural Heritage Patron Board (MCB) to strengthen collaboration between the government and stakeholders in protecting, developing, and utilising Indonesian culture.

The Culture Minister expressed appreciation to the members of the Patron Board for their contributions to various cultural advancement efforts. He said that cooperation between the government and the private sector is key to accelerating museum management and the safeguarding of cultural heritage in Indonesia.

‘We thank the members of the Patron Board for their support and contributions. Collaboration between the government and the private sector is crucial in strengthening the management of museums and the sustainable safeguarding of cultural heritage in Indonesia,’ the Minister said in a press statement received on Saturday.

The National Museum, for instance, records around 700,000 visitors per year. At weekends, the number can reach about 10,000 visitors, and even during long holidays a record of up to 12,750 visitors in a single day has been recorded.

He also outlined several major developments, including plans to restore areas of the National Museum affected by a fire. The renovation is planned to begin in June 2026 after all design details are finalised.

In addition, various conservation efforts for cultural heritage are continuing through collaboration with various parties. Ongoing programmes include the restoration of Candi Plaosan with support from the private sector developing the Muara Jambi area, the installation of the chattra at Borobudur Temple planned in the near future, and support for the restoration of Gunung Padang Site.

‘Cultural advancement cannot rely solely on the government. We need the spirit of gotong royong from various parties, including the Patron Board, so that our cultural heritage can be preserved and utilised optimally,’ the Culture Minister emphasised.

The Chair of the Museum and Cultural Heritage Patron Board, Hasyim Djojohadikusumo, at the event expressed appreciation for the government’s efforts to strengthen attention to the cultural sector. He assessed that collaboration between the government and the private sector in museum management and cultural heritage preservation is a very positive move. He also stressed that government attention to environmental conservation and natural heritage, including the management of national parks, is an important part of efforts to safeguard Indonesia’s natural and cultural wealth.

Meanwhile, Patron Board member and Chairman of Lippo Group, James Riady, expressed appreciation for the various culture-promotion programmes run by the Ministry of Culture. He assessed that the initiatives demonstrate the government’s seriousness in safeguarding Indonesia’s intellectual heritage and civilisational history. ‘I very much appreciate the various efforts being made. The preservation of history and civilisation is very important, especially in the face of globalisation today,’ said James Riady. He also expressed hope that Patron Board members would become more involved in the programmes being run so that their contributions can be broader.

Among the activities already conducted are an exhibition on Chinese-Javanese acculturation in Nusantara, a Misykat exhibition on Islam in Nusantara civilisation, an exhibition ‘Nyala 200 Years of Diponegoro’, and various other exhibitions produced in collaboration with international institutions such as the Tokyo National Museum. In addition, several revitalisation programmes have been implemented, including the restoration of Fort Rotterdam in South Sulawesi, the refurbishment of Fort Marlborough in Bengkulu, and improvements to the security systems for storing the National Museum’s collections.

‘We continue to work to improve the quality of museum and cultural heritage management so that we can provide a better experience for the public,’ said Esty Nurjadin.