Indonesia Hosts The 2025 UISPP Conference Marks The Moment Of Cultural Heritage Sovereignty

Menbud Fadli emphasized that this conference places Indonesia and Asia as centers for the movement of human civilizations, ranging from metal processing to cross-sea migration. (IST)

SALATIGA Indonesia officially hosts the 2025 UISPP Conference with the theme Asian Prehistory Today: Brigging Science, Heritage, and Development, which was opened Monday, October 27 by Fadli Zon, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia. The conference took place at the Satya Wacana Christian University (UKSW) Salatiga campus and became part of the international agenda of Union Internationale des Sciences Prahistoriques et Protohistoriques (UISPP).

This moment is not just academic. Menbud Fadli emphasized that this conference places Indonesia and Asia as centers of movement for human civilization starting from metal processing to cross-sea migration. In front of international participants, he said, Indonesia is proud to host this conference because the value discussed is wider than just our national heritage. This is a prehistoric record with Asia, and in many ways, the world'.

This conference presents scientists, conservators, and practitioners from dozens of countries to review Asia's prehistoric studies and global cultural heritage. Apart from Indonesia, Southeast Asia is in the main spotlight. For 10 days (27 October 6 November 2025) in Salatiga, Sangiran, to Yogyakarta, participants will attend the UNESCO world heritage site.

In the opening, Fadli announced plans to repatriate the fossil collection of Homo-erectus from the Netherlands '28,131 fossils from Java and Sumatra' which became 'historical arrears' for Indonesia. He also appointed prehistoric cave caves in Sulawesi, Sumatra, and Kalimantan as evidence of the diversity of Indonesian civilization that must be preserved.

The theme of the conference emphasized the synergy between science, cultural heritage, and development as the key to strengthening Indonesia's position in the international scientific community. Fadli reminded that the state must advance national culture in accordance with Article 32 of the 1945 Constitution and emphasized that culture is a soft power for dialogue and economic transformation.

The event was also attended by the President of UISPP Jacek Kabaciwasski who welcomed the presence of delegates from 40 countries and hoped that discussions during the conference could be productive.

By combining prehistoric research and cultural diplomacy, this conference can be a new entry point for Indonesia in leading cultural heritage research in Asia and the world.