Minister of Culture encourages Indonesian Iftar tradition to be included in UNESCO, Ramadan is called "Cultural Event"

JAKARTA - Minister of Culture Fadli Zon said Ramadan is not only a matter of worship, but also a cultural event that is alive in Indonesia. He revealed that the government is trying to get the iftar (breaking the fast) tradition from Indonesia to be included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage extension list, following the registration previously submitted by a number of Middle Eastern countries, including Turkey.

The statement was made by Fadli during a meeting of employees of the Ministry of Culture ahead of Ramadan 1447 H at the Auditorium of Building A of the Ministry of Culture, Jakarta, Wednesday (18/2). The event carried the theme "The Beauty of Tolerance in Worship in Nusantara".

"Iftar or breaking the fast is a cultural event with a variety of traditions that are very typical in various regions. Each region has its own way and uniqueness that reflects the richness of the culture of the archipelago," said Fadli.

He alluded to the diversity of Ramadan cuisine, from takjil to the breaking of the fast, as an expression of the identity and creativity of the people. According to him, this daily practice shows how spiritual and cultural values reinforce each other.

The Secretary-General of the Ministry of Culture, Bambang Wibawarta, called this activity a tradition of welcoming Ramadan. He said a similar activity was known as munggahan, which is the habit of gathering before fasting to be grateful and strengthen relationships. Bambang also emphasized that this momentum must go hand in hand with the professionalism of employees.

Fadli also called Ramadan a momentum of "resetting" or rearranging oneself: fasting for 30 days, paying zakat, and then closing it with mutual forgiveness. "On behalf of myself and the leadership, I congratulate you on the arrival of the holy month of Ramadan 1447 Hijriah," he said.

The event was closed with a tausiyah by Ustaz Ricky Kurniawan.