Cultural Heritage Preservation is Encouraged, Cirebon is Ready to Manage the Palace Area and Activate the Art Space

JAKARTA - Preserving cultural heritage is an important step to maintain the identity of an area in the midst of modernization. Therefore, synergy between the central and regional governments is needed so that cultural wealth is not only sustainable, but also develops.

The Cirebon City Government (Pemkot) expressed its support for the cultural area arrangement program initiated by the Ministry of Culture (Kemenbud), following the minister's working visit to the area on April 3, 2026.

The Mayor of Cirebon, Effendi Edo, said that the visit was an important momentum to strengthen synergy in realizing the cultural area arrangement program in the city.

"Of course, the visit yesterday we saw for ourselves that there are assistance that will be launched by the Minister of Culture (Menbud)," he explained.

He explained that one of the main focuses of the program was the arrangement of the royal area, especially the Kesepuhan Palace, as part of efforts to strengthen the cultural identity of the region.

Apart from the royal area, the Cirebon City Government also encourages support from the central government for the development of the Nyimas Rara Santang Arts Building, which is currently being directed to become a cultural park.

Effendi Edo emphasized that collaboration between the central, provincial, and regional governments is the key to the success of the program. He also assessed that arranging cultural areas can revive artistic spaces for the community.

"So that this can work again for our children or cultural art activists, this arrangement program is very important," he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Cirebon City Culture and Tourism Office (Disbudpar), Agus Sukmanjaya, stated his party's readiness to escort the program.

He explained that the arrangement of the cultural area includes three palaces in Cirebon, namely the Kesepuhan Palace, the Kanoman Palace, and the Kacirebonan Palace.

"If I'm not mistaken, it is indeed a plan to revitalize the Nusantara palaces," he said.

According to him, this program is planned to receive direct support from the Ministry of Culture, so that local governments need to prepare optimally.

In addition, Disbudpar also encourages the strengthening of the function of the Nyimas Rara Santang Arts Building as a cultural park that is representative of the community.

"We welcome the plan to transform the art building into a cultural park so that it can be realized immediately," he said.