In Collaboration with BRIN and ANRI, Kowani Submits to UNESCO for Global Recognition

“Peace is not merely the absence of war. It is a virtue,” wrote philosopher Baruch Spinoza.

The Indonesian Women’s Congress (KOWANI) has officially launched a national strategic initiative titled KOWANI Goes to UNESCO – Memory of the World, as an effort to elevate the history of Indonesian women’s struggles to the level of global recognition.

This initiative is being carried out in an integrated manner with the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) to strengthen the scientific foundation and academic studies, as well as the National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia (ANRI) as the national archiving authority in the process of establishing the Nation’s Collective Memory.

The programme aims to designate the archives and history of the Indonesian women’s movement as the Nation’s Collective Memory through ANRI, and to submit it to UNESCO’s Memory of the World, so that the contributions of Indonesian women in the nation’s journey and global civilisation can be officially recognised at the international level.

In an official statement today, the General Chair of KOWANI, Nannie Hadi Tjahjanto, S.H., emphasised that this step is a strategic national and civilisational movement.

“The history of Indonesian women’s struggles, which began with the Indonesian Women’s Congress on 22 December 1928, is an important part of world civilisation history that must be recognised globally. This is not merely a programme, but an Indonesian civilisational movement for the world,” Nannie asserted in Jakarta on Tuesday (31/3).

The Indonesian women’s movement has a distinctive global strength, growing amidst diversity in religion, ethnicity, culture, and society, and has actively contributed to education, social affairs, the economy, and national development since before independence. However, these contributions have not yet been fully documented systematically, scientifically validated, and recognised in the global historical narrative.

Through strategic collaboration with BRIN and ANRI, KOWANI will conduct collection, curation, digitisation, and compilation of dossiers based on data and evidence in accordance with UNESCO’s international standards. This approach ensures that the submission process is not only strong narratively but also credible scientifically and valid archivally.

Several national strategic stages have been set, including in 2026 the effort to designate the Nation’s Collective Memory through ANRI; in 2027, the official submission to UNESCO’s Memory of the World; and in 2028, the target for global recognition coinciding with the 100th anniversary of KOWANI.

For this purpose, KOWANI invites all Indonesian women’s organisations, central and regional governments, academics, researchers, the younger generation, national media, and the entire Indonesian society to participate actively in preserving, maintaining, documenting, and elevating the history of Indonesian women as a world civilisational heritage.

“Women are not only part of history but also shapers of civilisation’s direction. Through this step, Indonesia is present not only as a nation but as a force in world civilisation,” Nannie concluded.