Batik Becomes World Culture Heritage

photo: batikindonesia.info

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) decided batik as world culture heritage from Indonesia. Batik appraised as culture icon that have uniqueness and deeply philosophy, also included human life cycles so decided as non physical culture heritage from humanity. Before that UNESCO declared wayang and keris as world culture heritage from Indonesia. “Next we still process to include angklung (kind of traditional music instrument made from bamboo). We keep fighting one by one our nation culture works,” says Jero Wacik, minister of culture and tourism in Bogor, West Java on September 7, 2009. Non physical culture by UNESCO consist of oral culture, story, including language, dance, wayang, stage art, society custom and tradition, craft, and another thing connected with the nature environment. Meanwhile physical cultures consist of monument temple, landscape, and etc. Batik is non physical culture heritage from humanity. It is important because humanity means come from Indonesia. Decided of traditional cloth batik as world culture heritage from Indonesia basically from some considers, some of them is batik as traditional craft hereditary with rich culture from Indonesia. In their considerate, UNESCO also researched about protected had already given by Indonesia government to batik. “UNESCO asked that is Indonesia government has safeguard to batik or not?” says Aburizal Bakrie, Minister of Coordination for Wealthy People Sector. For that purpose, Indonesia government made book and education guided about batik and distributed to schools. UNESCO also researched that Indonesia have batik society, batik industries, and batik history in Indonesia. Based from UNESCO research result, they agreed batik as world culture heritage from Indonesia. This ceremony will organize on September 28 till October 2, 2009 in Abu Dhabi, Arab Emirate United. Connected with this ceremony plan, Indonesia President Soesilo Bambang Yudhoyono asked to all Indonesian people to wear batik on October 2, 2009.