Indonesia seeks to turn cultural wealth into national soft power

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3 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Culture Minister Fadli Zon said his ministry is pushing for Indonesia’s cultural wealth, which he considers a strategic asset, to be developed as a source of national soft power.

“Unlike natural resources, which are limited, a cultural economy built on a healthy and sustainable ecosystem can keep growing as long as the cultural ecosystem and its people are maintained,” Zon said in a statement received in Jakarta on Friday.

Zon affirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening cultural advancement through heritage protection, development of the arts ecosystem, and closer collaboration with universities as cultural institutions.

He said efforts to strengthen culture had gained important momentum with the establishment of the Culture Ministry as a standalone ministry after President Prabowo Subianto took office.

According to Zon, having a dedicated ministry for culture marked an important milestone in the history of national cultural advancement and was the first such ministry in Indonesia’s 79 years of independence.

Zon said Indonesia has a constitutional mandate that he frequently cites, namely Article 32, Paragraph 1 of the 1945 Constitution, which is further elaborated in Law No. 5 of 2017 on the Advancement of Culture.

“It includes elements of cultural protection, development, utilization, and fostering. Going forward, these must become our cultural capital,” he added.

Zon said the Culture Ministry continues to accelerate various programs to strengthen both tangible and intangible cultural heritage.

He outlined several ministry programs, including the National Talent Management program, the acceleration of national cultural heritage site designations, and historical site revitalization programs.

Other programs include accelerating the registration of Intangible Cultural Heritage (WBTb), implementing the IndonesiaRaya Fund scheme, and nominating tempe culture and Makyong Theater for UNESCO recognition.

Zon then highlighted Bali, which he said is globally recognized as a hub of Indonesian art and culture. He explained that Bali’s cultural ecosystem had developed over a long period and could serve as a model for other regions seeking to build sustainable cultural ecosystems.

“This is a strong cultural asset. It cannot be taken lightly. It must be preserved and maintained, because it could disappear at any time if its practitioners abandon the customs, culture, religion, and artistic expressions that define Bali,” Zon said.