Minister of Culture Encourages Bung Karno's Former Residence to Become a Cultural Recreation Facility

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Culture Fadli Zon has encouraged the historic building of Bung Karno’s former residence, which has been designated as a National Cultural Heritage Site, to be developed as a centre for information, learning, and cultural education and recreation.

“We hope that more young people will come and learn from this place. The site has been well-maintained, and in the future, it needs to be continuously activated through cultural activities,” he said in a press statement received in Jakarta on Wednesday.

During a cultural visit to Bung Karno’s former residence in Bengkulu, Fadli Zon said that the activation could be realised through the organisation of art activities, poetry readings, music performances, cultural discussions, and the development of a reading room or mini-library.

There, Bung Karno not only underwent his exile but also actively reflected, discussed, and interacted with local religious figures, community leaders, and cultural figures. A number of collections in the former residence, including the script of the Monte Carlo play and various readings, are evidence of Bung Karno’s intellectual activities during his time in Bengkulu.

“Our founding fathers were exiled in various regions. Bung Karno in Ende and Bengkulu. Bung Hatta from Digul to Banda Neira. Bung Syahrir also from Digul to Banda Neira, then moved to Sukabumi. These places are living witnesses to their struggle in fighting for Indonesian independence,” said Minister of Culture Fadli Zon.

Fadli Zon mentioned that Bung Karno was exiled by the Dutch colonial government to Bengkulu in 1938–1942, after undergoing exile in Ende in 1934–1938. This period of exile was an important part of the journey of the nation’s leaders.

By strengthening the educational and cultural functions of Bung Karno’s former residence, the Ministry of Culture hopes that this historic site will not only be a place for ceremonial commemorations but also a living space that inspires future generations to understand and continue the spirit of the nation’s founders.