Nusa Dua, Bali - Indonesia is hoping the United Nations agency for cultural affairs UNESCO will have named its Batik cloth as a world heritage by September, 2009, a culture ministry official said.
"We are optimistic about this since we have met all the requirements, not to mention the support from other countries," I Gusti Nyoman Widja, director of traditions at the tourism and culture ministry, said here Thursday.
Speaking at a seminar themed "Protection and Development of Traditional Knowledge and the Expression of Traditional Culture" in Nusa Dua, Widja said recognition as a world heritage would enhance the image of batik as well of Indonesia as its country of origin.
Then, he said, UNESCO would provide funds for its preservation and it would also be safe from other countries‘ claims.
According to Widja, the Indonesian government submitted its proposal to recognize batik as a world heritage to UNESCO in September, 2008. The process thereafter went well as there were no objections from countries like Brunei Drausslam or Malaysia during a UNESCO meeting to discuss the proposal.
The discussions in UNESCO, he said, were expected to run for a year and Indonesia should therefore know the result by September 2009.
Batik would be the third cultural product from Indonesia named a World Intangible Heritage after the Wayang (traditional puppets used in narration-supported shadow plays) and the Keris (ceremonial dagger).
UNESCO had certified Wayang as a "Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" in November 2003 and given a similar status to the Keris in November 2005.
Source:
http://www.antaranews.com (December 5, 2008)