JAKARTA - Indonesia has again entered the UNESCO Committee for the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage for the period 2026-2030. This position makes Indonesia participate in determining the direction of the protection of world cultural heritage, after 12 years of absence from the committee.
The election took place at the 11th General Session of the 2003 UNESCO Convention States in Paris, France, on June 17-18, 2026.
Indonesia obtained 113 votes and was elected together with Japan with 117 votes, the Philippines 106 votes, and Cambodia 97 votes to represent the Asia-Pacific region. The four countries defeated South Korea and Turkmenistan.
Minister of Culture Fadli Zon said Indonesia's election was an honor and a great trust.
"Indonesia is now trusted again by the international community to contribute to efforts to protect the world's intangible cultural heritage," Fadli said in a written statement received by VOI on Thursday, June 18.
Fadli said this success shows that Indonesia is not only rich in culture, but is also considered to have capacity in global cultural governance.
Indonesia carries the Living Heritage, Shared Future platform. The point is, culture is not treated only as a relic of the past, but as a living heritage that continues to be practiced, inherited, and developed by the community.
In the committee, Indonesia brought 8 priority agendas. Among them are the establishment of a UNESCO flagship center in Asia-Pacific, strengthening community-based protection, digital innovation for cultural inventory, the use of AI in documentation, and the protection of endangered traditions.
Indonesia also encourages more equitable access to international assistance, especially for less developed countries and small island countries.
Fadli said cultural heritage can be a bridge of dialogue and peace in the midst of global challenges.
Indonesia has a large capital. Currently, there are more than 1,340 ethnic groups, 718 regional languages, and 2,727 Intangible Cultural Heritage that have been nationally designated.
At the UNESCO level, Indonesia has 16 intangible cultural heritage elements that have been inscribed. The list includes Wayang, Keris, Batik, Angklung, Noken, Saman Dance, Pencak Silat, Pantun, Gamelan, Jamu, Reog Ponorogo, Kebaya, and Kolintang.
Fadli said that this experience gave Indonesia an important position in the development of policies to protect world cultural heritage.
He said this achievement was the result of joint work with the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Indonesian Embassy in Paris, the Indonesian Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, the Indonesian National Commission for UNESCO, and other stakeholders.
"Indonesia is ready to play a role as a bridge of cooperation between regions, partners in sharing knowledge, and a driver of various initiatives that strengthen the protection of cultural heritage at the global level," said Fadli.
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