Indonesia-Netherlands Discuss Films, Archives, and the Repatriation of Raden Saleh

During his visit to the Netherlands, Fadli Zon emphasized the issue of repatriating Indonesian culture in the Windmill country. (IST)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government encouraged the acceleration of the repatriation of Raden Saleh's works from the Netherlands in a bilateral meeting between Minister of Culture Fadli Zon and the Minister of Education, Culture, and Science of the Netherlands, Gouke Moes, in The Hague, Thursday, January 29, 2026.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) which featured Indonesian films. Fadli appreciated the space for national filmmakers and proposed an "Indonesia Focus" agenda at the upcoming edition. "This festival opens a path for cultural diplomacy through film. We want Indonesia's involvement to be stronger," said Menbud Fadli Zon in Den Haag, Thursday, January 29.

Both countries emphasized the continuation of the Indonesia-Netherlands Audiovisual Co-production Agreement which was signed in December 2024 and is now in the process of ratification. Talent strengthening is also carried out through SAMASAMA Lab which involves the Netherlands Film Fund, National Talent Management, and APROFI.

Fadli emphasized access to Dutch archives related to Indonesian history. Cooperation is directed at digitization, research, film restoration, and joint exhibitions with institutions such as the Eye Film Museum and KITLV.

The issue of repatriation has come under the spotlight. Fadli appreciates the Dutch approach to cultural and historical justice, including the return of the Dubois collection. Indonesia is now pushing for the acceleration of the repatriation of 37 objects of Cultural Heritage of a Material Nature (WBBK) that have been recommended by the Colonial Collection Committee (CCC), an independent committee of advisers to the Dutch government in the return of colonial collections. The proposal includes the works and relics of Raden Saleh. "This repatriation is part of the recovery of the history of art and the identity of Indonesian culture," he said in a written statement obtained by VOI, January 30.

Indonesia also asked for Dutch support for the candidacy as a member of the next period of the UNESCO ICH Committee. This meeting emphasizes the direction of cultural cooperation between the two countries from film to the recovery of historical heritage.