Faculty of Humanities, Universitas Indonesia (FIB UI), Depok, October 1, 2025 – The Faculty of Humanities affirms its commitment to supporting the government’s efforts in preserving and safeguarding the nation’s cultural heritage. This commitment was reflected in its active involvement in the dissemination of the Draft Presidential Regulation (Perpres) of the Republic of Indonesia concerning the Ratification of the 1970 UNESCO Convention and the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention.
The 1970 UNESCO Convention is an international legal instrument regulating the prohibition and prevention of the illicit import, export, and transfer of ownership of cultural property. The 1995 UNIDROIT Convention complements this legal framework by providing mechanisms for the return, restitution, and repatriation of lost or stolen cultural objects.
Dean of FIB UI, Bondan Kanumoyoso, emphasized that the ratification of these two international conventions represents a strategic step for Indonesia. “As an academic institution engaged in the humanities, history, archaeology, and cultural studies, we believe that the ratification of these two international conventions is an important step in the protection and preservation of Indonesia’s cultural heritage,” he stated.
In recent years, the government has observed a significant increase in cases of illicit cultural property trafficking. According to data from the Indonesian National Police (Divhubinter Polri), law enforcement cases rose from 380 in 2021 to 556 in 2022, with 511 cases recorded in 2023. These figures underscore the urgent need for close collaboration between the government, academia, society, and international institutions.
On this occasion, Prof. Ismunandar, Senior Advisor for Inter-Agency Relations at the Ministry of Culture, highlighted that the preservation of cultural heritage is a collective responsibility. “The 1970 UNESCO Convention affirms that the preservation of cultural heritage is not only a national obligation, but also a shared responsibility of humanity. Preventing illicit trade and ensuring the restitution of cultural property must be carried out through effective international cooperation,” he explained.
Chairman of the Universitas Indonesia Alumni Association (Iluni UI), Pramudya A. Oktavinanda, also stressed the importance of clear legal mechanisms in protecting ancient artifacts. “Cultural property is the wealth of the nation and therefore cannot be unilaterally claimed by discoverers. Only artifacts that are legally recognized may be owned or traded,” he said. He further emphasized that Iluni UI plays an important role in facilitating strategic discussions among UI experts on the preservation and protection of cultural heritage.
The dissemination of the Draft Presidential Regulation was organized by Iluni UI in collaboration with the Directorate General of Diplomacy, Promotion, and Cultural Cooperation of the Ministry of Culture, FIB UI, and the Graduate Program in Archaeology at UI. Through this activity, Universitas Indonesia reaffirms its commitment to actively promoting cross-sectoral collaboration in safeguarding the nation’s cultural heritage while strengthening Indonesia’s position on the global stage.
