Indonesia Heritage Year celebrates diversity

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.