Ministry Of Culture Commits To Continue Research In Mount Padang, Will Invite Overseas Archaeologists

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia is committed to preserving national cultural heritage, one of which is the Mount Padang Megalithic Site in Cianjur Regency, West Java. Research on Mount Padang which was stopped in 2014 will now be resumed.

Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon believes that there are still many potential mysteries in Mount Padang, which have the potential to change understanding of human civilization in the archipelago. With further research, it is hoped that there will be various answers related to Mount Padang.

"The site still faces many challenges, for archaeologists and architecture, about what Mount Padang really is. Mystery needs answers, and this is what we will give the answer to," said Fadli Zon at Grha Utama, Building A Kemendikbudristek, Jakarta, on Tuesday, February 11, 2025.

Therefore, Fadli Zon encourages collaboration between various research institutions, both from within and from abroad. This collaboration was carried out to further open the history of the site.

"We need to work with various parties, including experts from abroad to research more about Mount Padang," he said.

This further research is also expected to produce strong findings, so that Mount Padang can be registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. This effort is also in line with the mandate of Article 32 of the 1945 Constitution, which states that the state must advance national culture in the midst of world civilization.

"Cultural submission must be carried out by ensuring people's freedom to maintain and develop cultural values," concluded Fadli Zon.