Government prepares options for submitting wood carving art to UNESCO

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Culture Minister Fadli Zon stated that his ministry is preparing options related to the submission of wood carving art to UNESCO to be recognised as intangible cultural heritage (ICH).

“We are currently processing it, and indeed the registration or inscription at UNESCO for a single nomination means one country only every two years. We will find a way; perhaps the approach is through safeguarding,” said Fadli during a catch-up interview in Jakarta on Wednesday.

He added that the safeguarding approach through the preservation and maintenance of cultural heritage is an option expected to accelerate the registration process for wood carving art to be recognised by UNESCO. This is because registration through a single nomination can only be done every two years.

Another possible option is a joint nomination with other countries that have wood carving art or similarities.

“For extensions, we are also exploring possibilities, perhaps also cooperating with countries that have similarities or common traditions in preserving and maintaining wood carving art,” he said.

Previously, the Government of Jepara Regency, Central Java, has been striving to advocate for Jepara’s distinctive wood carving artwork to become intellectual property listed in the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) records at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

“Jepara’s wood carving art is evidence of the nation’s ancestral heritage wealth, so we are striving to obtain UNESCO ICH recognition, in addition to continuously introducing Jepara’s carving works to every corner of the world,” said Regent of Jepara Witiarso Utomo.

To advocate for it, he said, his side also sought assistance from Deputy Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) RI, Lestari Moerdijat, by visiting on Tuesday (25/3).

In that meeting, Prof. Ismunandar, former Ambassador/Deputy Permanent Delegate of Indonesia to UNESCO, who currently serves as Special Staff to the Minister of Culture for Inter-Institutional Relations of Indonesia, was also present and will help advocate for Jepara’s wood carving art to become ICH recorded at UNESCO.

In 2017, Bosnia and Herzegovina had previously inscribed an ICH wood carving work from that country, namely Konjic woodcarving, at UNESCO.