Fadli Zon Launches April 19 As National Keris Day

MALANG In a solemn atmosphere full of cultural values, the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, Fadli Zon, officially announced April 19 as National Keris Day.

This historic declaration was held at Samantha Krida Building, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, and was greeted enthusiastically by hundreds of cultural competitors from various parts of the archipelago, Saturday, April 19.

This step is seen as a tangible form of state recognition of the Keris as a heritage of the justuhung culture, which not only retains high aesthetic value, but is also full of philosophy, spirituality, traditional technology, and the identity of Indonesian culture.

Keris is not just an heirloom or a historical object, but an expression of the philosophy of life of our nation. He lives in the recycling of people's lives, from sacred spaces to daily life. National Keris Day is an effort to unite the vision of advancing national Keris culture," said Fadli Zon in his speech.

The election on April 19 was not without reason. This date marks an important event in the history of the Indonesian banking community, namely the First Congress of the Indonesian National Secretariat (SNKI) which was held in Surakarta.

The congress became the starting point for the collective preparation of the vision and mission of a Keris culture by conservationists from all over Indonesia.

Since its establishment in 2006, SNKI has transformed into a large network that houses around 200 keris associations from Sabang to Merauke. This organization has even become one of six Indonesian cultural organizations that have been accredited by UNESCO.

Fadli revealed that efforts to make keris part of the national narrative have gone through a long process since 2016, involving the preparation of proposals, academic texts, and repeated aspirations from the community.

Previously, on November 25, 2005, ***UNESCO had designated the keris as Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity or World Intangible Cultural Heritage Masterpiece. However, this date has been previously designated as National Teacher's Day and Anti-Violence Day against Women, so it is necessary to determine a new date so that the Keris gets a special space in national dating.

"We want to provide exclusive and non-overlapping momentum. April 19 will bind the spirit of the empus, collectors, academics, artists, and the younger generation to care for this ancestral heritage," said Fadli.

This declaration is even more meaningful because it is part of the Brawijayan Mondiacult 2025 event, an international cultural forum that raises the role of art and heritage in Indonesian cultural diplomacy.

Prof. Widodo, Chancellor of Universitas Brawijaya, admitted that he was proud that his campus was chosen as the host of the declaration. He called keris a symbol of traditional knowledge relevant to the academic world.

"University is home to the legacy of knowledge, and Keris is part of it. It is not just an object, but a source of value and identity of the nation," he said.

Closing his speech, Fadli Zon expressed high hopes that National Keris Day would be a milestone in strengthening the Keris ecosystem in Indonesia.