Receive ICOMOS, Menbud Fadli Zon Calls Cultural Heritage Preservation Must Have An Impact On People's Welfare

Receive ICOMOS, Menbud Fadli Zon Calls Cultural Heritage Preservation Must Have An Impact On People's Welfare

JAKARTA Minister of Culture Fadli Zon emphasized that the protection and management of cultural heritage should not sacrifice the lives of the people around him. He asked that every conservation policy must have a direct impact on the welfare of the people, not become an obstacle to economic activity.

Fadli made this statement when receiving an audience from the Indonesia International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), Thursday, May 8, 2025 at the Ministry of Culture Building, Jakarta. This meeting discussed the implementation of the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA), the method of assessing the impact on extraordinary universal values (Outstanding Universal Value/OUV) from cultural sites before the development project was implemented.

"HIA is important, but don't let heritage become a wall that limits people from living a prosperous life. We protect the site, but the surrounding economy must also grow," said Menbud Fadli.

He gave an example of conservation practices in several countries that do not hinder citizen activities, such as in Macau. Around cultural sites, shops and buildings continue to operate and provide economic value without reducing inheritance value.

"We have to learn from cases like Sangiran. After it is declared a cultural heritage, the community can no longer use the land. Likewise in Borobudur. Restrictions on visitors are only 1,200 people who have an impact on the income of local traders. This means that there is something that must be addressed, "he said.

Fadli also encouraged Heritage Impact Assessment not only to be a recommendation, but also to be officially regulated in legal regulations.

"If HIA is only a discourse, it will not be strong. There must be a legal umbrella. Let's formulate so that HIA can become a regulation, not just an appeal," he said.

ICOMOS Indonesia, represented by Punto Wijayanto, welcomed the encouragement. He explained that HIA will provide certainty for all parties, including investors, so that conservation does not conflict with development.

"HIA provides clarity in granting permits in cultural heritage areas, as well as maintaining a balance between conservation and investment," said Punto.

Present at this meeting included the Expert Staff of the Minister for Law and Culture Policy Masyitoh Annisa Ramadhani, Special Staff to the Minister for Cultural Diplomacy Annisa Rengganis, Director of Cultural Heritage I Made Dharma Suteja, and a number of members of ICOMOS Indonesia.

As a follow-up, the Ministry of Culture will discuss a draft HIA regulation with the Directorate of Cultural Heritage to be drafted into a Ministerial Regulation.