The central government will support a bid to include Nias Island, in North Sumatra, as a world heritage site. Representatives from various organizations, academics, researchers, the government and members of the general public attended a meeting in Medan, North Sumatra, to discuss the bid.
The meeting was organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in cooperation with the Culture and Tourism Ministry, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and North Sumatra University.
Head of the World Heritage Center’s working committee, Risman Musa, said Nias had a good chance of being listed as a world heritage site, due to its unique cultural heritage.
The island boasts traditional houses which date back hundreds of years, megalithic sites and artifacts, traditional villages, a variety of local languages, special handicrafts and traditional architecture.
Risman, who is also deputy head of religious, cultural and tourism affairs at the Coordinating Ministry for People’s Welfare, said the government would submit a bid to the World Heritage Center in Paris, France, to include Nias as a world heritage site.
“Every year, the World Heritage Center offers Indonesia and other countries the chance to submit bids to have their potential natural and cultural sites listed as world heritage sites. This year, we will submit a proposal to support Nias as an Indonesian cultural heritage site,” Risman told the Jakarta Post.
He said there were a number of other potential heritage sites in the country that his office would include in the proposal, such as Bali, Tamansari in Yogyakarta and Raja Empat in Papua.
Risma said the last Indonesian site to be listed by the World Heritage Center was Bukit Barisan National Park in Sumatra, in 2005.
“Indonesians should be proud, because so far seven of the country’s heritage sites have been listed as world heritage sites,” said Risman.
UNESCO’s assessment report on Nias’ cultural heritage in 2006 recommended the Indonesian government endorse the inclusion of Nias and surrounding islands as a world heritage site.
Chairman of the national committee for UNESCO Arief Rachman said he supported the proposal and urged the government to immediately seek experts on the island’s culture and history.
“It’s ironic that we don’t have local experts on Nias yet. Those who specialize in the culture and history of Nias are from Germany and the Netherlands,” said Arief, expressing hope North Sumatra University could help train local experts.
South Nias Regent Fahuwusa Laia, who also attended the meeting, said he welcomed the idea.
“If Nias becomes a world heritage site, it will help promote both local and international tourism to Nias and nearby islands.”
Apriadi Gunawan
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