Showing Civilization Heritage To French Culture Minister, Menbud Fadli Zon Inaugurates Borobudur Cultural Center

JAKARTA Minister of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, Fadli Zon, welcomed the Minister of Culture of France, Rachida Dati, and the French First Lady, Brigitte Macron, during President Emmanuel Macron's official state visit to Borobudur Temple, Central Java. This moment is an important milestone in strengthening Indonesia's strategic partnership' France in the field of culture.

During the visit, Menbud Fadli inaugurated the Borobudur Cultural Center (BCC), a cultural center designed to make Borobudur a space for global interaction: from education, spirituality, to international collaboration. BCC will involve various domestic and foreign partners in managing its cultural programs.

As part of the inauguration, an exhibition titled Borobudur: Civilization Symphony was displayed. This exhibition revives visual narratives from Borobudur reliefs through two main presentations:

1. Sound of Borobudur Featuring 40 musical instruments reconstructed from more than 200 relief panels. This project was initiated by the Padma Foundation of Sada Svargantara and involved artists such as Purwa Tjakara, Trie Utami, and Dewa Budjana. The instrument reflects the legacy of the 8th century Javanese cosmopolitan.

2. Strength and Spirituality: Traditional Weapons of the Archipelago in Relief Borobudur Present 50 weapons and heirlooms from Madura, Madiun, Karanganyar, as well as a private collection of Fadli Zon Library and Brojobuwono Padepokan. Rare Buddhist artifacts were also displayed, such as Akshobhya Buddhist statues and ritual objects of metal and stone.

Exhibition also shows artifacts from the Musi River, Palembang, which show cultural continuity from Sumatra to Java. A total of 108 objects were exhibited, reinforced by research documents, restoration history, and archaeological records that made Borobudur an open library of civilization.

"This exhibition proves that Borobudur is a knot of cultural cosmopolitaneism since the 8th century. Now we want to revive the spirit of transportation," said Minister ofbud Fadli Zon, Thursday, May 29.

The inauguration of BCC is part of the Indonesian Cultural Dialogue 'France in the Manohara complex, with the theme 'Celebrating Diversity, Building Bridges.' This forum brings together artists and cultural actors of the two countries, marking a new chapter of cultural diplomacy based on collaboration across generations and civilization.

The day before, at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, President Prabowo Subianto and President Emmanuel Macron witnessed the signing of the Strategic Cultural Partnership and the Cultural Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries. This partnership is a pillar in realizing the 2050 Indonesia 'France' Joint Vision.