BACKGROUND
“Cultural landscapes represent the combined works of nature and of man. They are illustrative of the evolution of human society and settlement over time, under the influence of physical constraints and/or opportunities presented by the natural environment and of successive social, economic and cultural forces, both external and internal.” UNESCO, 1992
Visual art exhibition “THE THOUSAND MYSTERIES OF BOROBUDUR” will be held at Jogja Gallery, Yogyakarta on 20 April 2007 to 11 May 2007. Along with this exhibition a series of educational programmes as side events will be co-organized by Universitas Gadjah Mada and UNESCO in collaboration with several parties. These educational side events will focus on the current issues of Borobudur and its cultural landscape heritage. One of the side events is the First International Symposium of Borobudur Cultural Landscape Heritage: Regional Conservation Planning.
Cultural landscape or Saujana heritage is the inextricable unity between nature and manmade heritage in space and time or the variety of interactive manifestation between manmade heritage and natural environment. The interaction of nature and culture has become a new perspective in global discourse of sciences especially those which concern with heritage conservation started in the end of the 80’s. However, in the Indonesian higher education as well as the discourse on cultural landscape has not yet developed. Whereas in fact, Indonesia from Sabang to Merauke is a mosaic of one of the world’s largest cultural landscape diversity that needs interdisciplinary developed.
In 2003, Indonesia Network for Heritage Conservation (INHC) in collaboration with International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Indonesia and Ministry of Culture and Tourism in Indonesia Heritage Year 2003 (theme: Celebrating Diversity) declared Indonesian Charter for Heritage Conservation 2003 which among other shares the understanding that:
- The heritage of Indonesia is the legacy of nature, culture and saujana, the weave of two. Natural heritage is the construct of nature. Manmade heritage is the legacy of thought, emotion, intentions, and works that spring from over 500 ethnic groups in Tanah Air Indonesia, singularly, and together as one nation, and from the interactions with other cultures throughout its lengths of history. Saujana heritage is the inextricable unity between nature and manmade heritage in space and time.
- Cultural heritage includes both tangible and intangible legacies;
- Heritage, bequeathed from the generations that precede us, is the vital foundation and initial capital for the development of the Indonesian nation in the future, and for these reasons, must be conserved and passed along to the next generation in good condition, without loss of value, and if possible with an enhanced value, to form heritage for the future
Meanwhile Borobudur UNESCO Expert Meeting held in July 2003 stated that a study on Borobudur cultural landscape is urgent to be conducted. Started in 2004, Indonesian Government through Department of Culture and Tourism has prepared 2nd Stage of Borobudur Restoration emphasized on Intangible Cultural Heritage and community empowerment.
In order to response various needs on cultural landscape heritage conservation development, either in the scientific and practical needs, since 2004 the International Field School of Borobudur Cultural Landscape Heritage Conservation has been annually organized by Center for Heritage Conservation, Department of Architecture and Planning, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Gadjah Mada in collaboration with Takada-Kanki Laboratory, Housing and Environmental Design, Graduate School of Urban, Environmental Engineering, Kyoto University, Japan; Miyagawa Seminar, Dept. of Environmental System, Wakayama University, Japan; Indonesia Heritage Trust, and Jogja Heritage Society.
This year is the 4th International Field School of Borobudur Cultural Landscape Heritage Conservation (organized 19 – 26 April 2007). To spread out the notion of Borobudur cultural landscape heritage, the First International Symposium of Borobudur Cultural Landscape Heritage: Regional Conservation Planning will be organized as .the educational side events of Visual art exhibition “THE THOUSAND MYSTERIES OF BOROBUDUR”.
DISCRIPTION OF PROGRAM:
This symposium will be held at the Department of Architecture and Planning, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Gadjah Mada, 20 April 2007. The focus is the issues related with “Regional Conservation Planning” which will cover the rich heritage of Borobudur and its cultural landscape heritage including the Borobudur ancient lake, villages and mountains.
1. First International Symposium on Borobudur Cultural Landscape
For more update, please visit our gallery : http://chc.ft.ugm.ac.id/gallery/first-international-symposium-on-borobudur-cultural-landscape-heritage-regional-conservation-planning-universitas-gadjah-mada-20-april-2007/
