Aceh Only Has 12 Certified Cultural Heritage Protection Experts

TheIndonesia.co - The Cultural Values Preservation Center (BPNB) in Aceh has revealed that experts in cultural heritage protection are still needed in the province.

Acting head of BPNB Aceh Nurmatias said the number of cultural heritage experts in Aceh is very limited, and there are only 12 certified experts.

“So far, Aceh still lacks cultural heritage protection experts, and from what I’ve learned, only 12 people have been certified,” he said on Wednesday, March 9, as reported by Antara.

He added that the 12 experts are from Syiah Kuala University and Ar-Raniry State Islamic University Banda Aceh, and they are all working at provincial level with no cultural heritage protection experts currently working at regency or municipal level.

Nurmatias said Law No. 11/2010 on Cultural Conservation actually mandated every region in Indonesia to have its team of cultural heritage protection experts.

According to him, experts on cultural heritage protection and intangible cultural heritage are needed to make assessment on cultural objects or intangible cultural heritage in their respective region. They also have authority to register objects or entities that have cultural values. Afterwards, they can report their finding to head of region so that it can establish new local heritage.

“Because it’s not possible [to acknowledge new heritage] without their recommendation. Therefore, we hope to have more these experts – as mandated by the Law,” he concluded.