Sustainable conservation: Challenge for RI

Sustainable conservation: Challenge for RI

M. Henaldy, Activist at Jogja Heritage Society

didiet69@yahoo.com

The sun is almost set in the cozy, green area of Sagan in
Yogyakarta. People start to light a set of small bamboo torches,
creating a mosaic of lights in the front yard of an old building
constructed in the Indische Empire style that has been
transformed into an exclusive restaurant.

While you sit here sipping a cup of hot coffee, you can easily
feel the romantic ambience of bygone days.

It is perhaps difficult to understand that such an old and
exotic place can still exist today. Thanks to the concern of many
people, many cultural heritage buildings here have been preserved
and given new commercial functions, such as serving as boutiques
and furniture galleries, gift centers and restaurants.

It is said that a great nation will always maintain its
heritage so that its younger generation could trace its past
glories and learn from its catastrophes.

Unfortunately, the idea of conserving cultural heritage in
Indonesia is still considered strange. Many people still perceive
heritage conservation as a non-profit activity which will not
generate any form of income to any of those involved -- something
that is only feasible with the assistance of aid or grants.

In fact, through careful planning and management, conservation
can help improve well-being. Therefore, it is a challenge for
Indonesia to create a conservation program that can produce
economic benefit for all the participants.

Economic development that committed to the conservation of our
natural and cultural heritage should involve all stakeholders,
including local people, government, the private sector, non-
governmental organizations, financial institutions, public
figures and the media.

There are numerous examples of successful heritage
conservation projects elsewhere. In Singapore, the legendary
Raffles hotel, which has witnessed the transformation of the
island into a modern city state, has become a tourist site
without sacrificing any of the historical value inherent in the
building.

Should the country's tourism board have failed to convince
everyone about the significance of the building, which was opened
to the public for the first time in 1887, the hotel could well
have become just a footnote to history.

In Bangkok, there is the "House on The Klong", the former
residence of Jim Thompson, an architect and American businessman
who brought Thai's traditional silks to international prominence.

This traditional Thai house, built in the 1950s, is now a
must-see tourist attraction.

These and other successful conservation efforts worldwide
should provide inspiration for Indonesians, for they prove that
cultural heritage conservation, if managed seriously and in a
professional way, can be economically sustainable. And yes, fame
and prestige are two of its beneficial side effects.

Compared to Thailand and Singapore, Indonesia is more richer
in cultural and natural heritage, both tangible (such as
buildings, traditional costumes, etc.) and intangible (such as
languages, folklore, etc.), including the country's soaring
mountains, and its historic cities, traditional industries, old
factories, villages, temples, islands and even the sea itself.

Our opportunity and challenge, then, is to develop a heritage
conservation program that will contribute to the economic
development of this country in a synergistic manner that results
in mutual benefit for all stakeholders.

The heritage community in the historic city of Yogyakarta has
started this effort at a number of sites, including Sagan,
Kotagede, Taman Sari, Tembi village and Njeron Beteng. The
community wants to see Indonesia one day being recognized as a
"great nation" for its success in heritage conservation.

With hard work and perseverance, we believe our dream will
come true.

It is for the same reason that the Jogja Heritage Society
(JHS), The Jakarta Post, Gadjah Mada University's School of
Engineering's Center for Heritage Conservation, the Institute for
Public Policy and Economic Studies (Inspect), P.D. Tarumartani,
and the Indonesian Network for Heritage Conservation (JPPI) is
organizing a panel discussion on heritage conservation and
economic development.

To be held in the Novotel Hotel's ballroom on April 28, the
panel discussion, which will also mark the Post's 21st
anniversary and World Heritage Day, will feature economist Prof.
Dr. A.R. Karseno of Gadjah Mada University, Dr. Ir. Laretna T.
Adishakti, M.Arch of the JPPI, and Bimo N. Wartono of P.D.
Tarumartani as speakers.

It is hoped that through this panel discussion, various
thoughts and ideas on the problems involved in heritage
conservation and economic development will be put forward, and
thus enrich the concept and implementation of the program.