Indonesia has submitted the Reog Ponorogo art to UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage belonging to Indonesia on February 18, 2022
Deputy II Chief of Presidential Staff (KSP) RI Abetnego Tarigan said efforts to make Reog Ponorogo art an Intangible Cultural Heritage (WBTB) that was born and developed in Indonesia became a priority step for the government.
KSP immediately communicated with ministries and institutions related to the fulfillment of administrative requirements for submitting the Reog United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
"KSP will coordinate with the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture to ensure that all administrative requirements to UNESCO have been met," Abet said as quoted from the KSP press release on Sunday (10/4/2022).
Abet added that efforts to fight for and ensure that the intangible cultural heritage of the Indonesian nation is recognized by the world through UNESCO is a manifestation of strengthening national identity and a form of cultural preservation. This is protected by Law No. 5/Year 2017 concerning the Advancement of Culture.
"On that basis, KSP also encourages the acceleration of cultural diplomacy at the world level so that Reog can be immediately crowned by UNESCO as ours," explained Abet.
For information, the government has submitted the Reog Ponorogo art to UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage belonging to Indonesia on February 18, 2022. This confirmation was conveyed by Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy, last Thursday (7/4/2022).
Previously, Muhadjir also revealed that the Malaysian government plans to submit Reog art as its country's culture to UNESCO. This makes Reog artists in Ponorogo take to the streets. They demanded that the government immediately register Reog with UNESCO as an Indonesian cultural heritage.
Reog Ponorogo art itself has taken root in Indonesia and has been recognized as an intangible cultural heritage since 2013. During the 4 years running, the government has completed and perfected the requirements to be proposed to UNESCO.
