Indonesia Heritage Year celebrates diversity

Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

Indonesia has long been recognized as a paradise of diverse heritage, although not everyone seems to realize that or feel moved enough to keep it preserved.

Embarking on a drive to invite more people to join in conservation efforts, the organizing committee of Indonesia Heritage Year (IHY) 2003 took "celebrating diversity" as its central theme for the event.

"It's sort of an initial step toward inviting more and more people to take part in heritage conservation efforts and to make them realize what heritage they have. It is hoped that they will eventually embrace it and in turn actively conserve it," said the chairwoman of IHY 2003's organizing committee, Laretna T. Adishakti.

Laretna, or Sita as she is better known, said it was important to make people feel proud of what they have before asking them to join in conservation efforts. Once they that pride has been ingrained in them, they will try to learn more about it and eventually realize that it was on the brink of extinction, motivating them to think of a way to preserve it.

"It is also important to tell people that we don't need to separate heritage into categories, such as cultural, arts or others. Heritage is not always related to something pompous or bombastic. There are many ordinary heritage items that deserve conservation," Sita said.

Jointly organized by the Indonesian Network for Heritage Conservation (JPPI), the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the Indonesian Cultural and Tourism Development Agency, IHY 2003 was jointly launched by State Minister of Tourism and Culture I Gede Ardika and Minister of Agriculture Bungaran Saragih last month at the Sambi heritage village, some 20 kilometers north of Yogyakarta.

Sita said that nationally, IHY was aimed at developing public concern and increasing education about natural and cultural heritage conservation. IHY was also designed to develop the nation in a bid to create more balanced and better informed individuals.

"The gift of this diversity of nature and culture needs to be celebrated by developing public concern toward natural and cultural heritage. But, first of all, we have to make people aware of this diversity first before inviting them to join conservation efforts," said Sita.

IHY's main programs focus more on a local and national campaign and propagating conservation efforts that have been or are being conducted by various individuals or institutions including the community, private sector and the executive and legislative institutions.

"We also accommodate having 'connected people' through inner organizations or individual networks to boost the cultural movement for conservation among community members," Sita said.

One activity includes the International Borobudur Festival, which is scheduled to take place in June. At that time, Paris- based World Heritage organization will evaluate how the Borobudur is being maintained as a world heritage site.

In fact, one of the reasons why 2003 was chosen as Indonesia Heritage Year was because it is the 20th year of the Borobudur's restoration. This year, Indonesia also plans to celebrate the 90th Indonesian Archeological Year.

The planned programs include educating as many people as possible on natural and cultural heritage conservation issues, promoting natural and cultural heritage trails at as many sites as possible, touring heritage conservation exhibitions across the country and declaring a heritage charter for Indonesia.

"We will hopefully be able to declare the charter by the end of the heritage year at the latest," said Sita, who cited the importance of a charter for Indonesia in regard to the country's rich heritage.

Among the important subjects the charter will address is the definition of the word "heritage". This is considered important because there has not been any agreement made among Indonesians on the meaning of the word. Some people define heritage as tangible objects only, while others see it as also including intangible ones.

"For myself, I see that heritage also includes the intangible," Sita said.

IHY's organizing committee does not restrict the activities, giving freedom to all parties concerned to adopt any heritage site they wish to preserve. It can be geographical-based heritage sites, such as a city, town, village or region, or a field-based heritage site, such as a museum, preservation technique, old building,traditional woven cloth, plant or food.

"All concerned parties, including heritage organizations and groups, regional and central governments, private sectors, scholars, individuals and the whole community, are invited to join in the activities," Sita said.

With regard to the implementation of the Regional Autonomy Law, any local activity which nationally promotes the spirit of heritage conservation is needed and would be highly appreciated, she added. "What they need to do to join the program is inform us of any heritage program they plan to conduct during this year," Sita said.

"I do believe that if each of us does something to celebrate our environment, no matter how small it is, it will mean something," she said. -- Information on Indonesia Heritage Year 2003 programs and activities can be viewed on www.indonesiapusaka.com or send an e- mail to jppi@yahoogroups.com.