MY TWENTY TWENTY

International Symposium on Water and Culture,
Monday, February 3rd, 2020,
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Tokyo, Japan,

(Organized by High-level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disasters (HELP), National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism of Japan (MLIT), UN Center for Regional Development (UNCRD/UNDESA), and ICOMOS Netherlands)

Water nurtures a unique and diverse culture of a society that becomes a solid foundation of sustainable development of regions. Innovative paths for regional development can be found by looking at people’s lives and livelihood through a water lens.

Leading experts on water and culture will present cases of rich water culture and their impact on regional society and economy. Good practices and lessons on water-related regional development will be shared from both historical and modern cases.

The panelists discussed how the issue of water and culture can contribute to the advancement of global agenda such as 2030 Agenda, Paris Agreement, and Sendai Framework for Action.

 

I delivered a presentation "Traditional Water Management of Indonesia"

Ryuichi Tanigawa and Hiroko Sasamoto, two dearest friends in Japan

The delegation from the Netherlands

The Emperor and Empress of Japan

Member of the Advisory Committee 
on the National Policy Framework for Colonial Collections
October 2019-October 2020

The Advisory Committee, chaired by Lilian Gonçalves-Ho Kang You, was established by the Council for Culture last year at the request of Minister of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands, Ingrid van Engelshoven.

It has been an honor to be one of the members of the Advisory Committee. We have worked during the pandemic through online meetings. Finally, on 7 October 2020, the result called the National Policy Framework for Colonial Collections presented to the Minister.

Demonstrate a willingness to return colonial looted art.

The recognition of injustice and the willingness to rectify it as far as possible should be the key principles of the policy on colonial collections in Dutch museums. The Netherlands must therefore be willing to return unconditionally any cultural objects looted in former Dutch colonies if the source country so requests.

The committee advises Minister Van Engelshoven to coordinate this policy with countries formerly under Dutch colonial rule, in particular Indonesia, Suriname and the Caribbean islands.

For more information on this report https://www.raadvoorcultuur.nl/documenten/adviezen/2020/10/07/summary-of-report-advisory-committee-on-the-national-policy-framework-for-colonial-collections

The 3rd Forum on Asian Industrial Heritage Conservation
The Connection of the Genealogy of Industrial Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region
27 October-4 November 2020

The event was originally planned to be held in Sawahlunto, West Sumatra, Indonesia. Due to the pandemic, it was held online in three sequences with the topics: 

1. Establishment of Industrial Heritage Networking and Genealogy
2. Sustainability and Challenges of Industrial Heritage
3. Youth Dialogue – The Motivation of Youth Participation in Industrial Heritage Preservation

My presentation on how to involve the youth in industrial heritage preservation

The Making Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) Quick Scan Method Handbook
To be launched in 2021
(The Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands-RCE, University of Indonesia, the IPB University, Trisakti University, and Heritage hands-on)

The Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) is an approach to the management of heritage resources in dynamic and constantly changing environments. It is based on the recognition and identification of a layering and interconnection of natural and cultural, tangible and intangible, international and local values present in any city. According to the HUL approach, these values should be taken as a point of departure in the overall management and development of the city (Quoted from WHITRAP, The World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and the Pacific Region)

 I coordinated the team from Indonesia and the Netherlands to introduce the HUL Approach in Indonesia using a method of Quick Scan that was developed by RCE.  This Quick Scan (QS) Method explaining the structure of a historical inner-city in a practical way, assessing threats and opportunities, and formulating future development opportunities.

We have organized two HUL QS Method in Indonesia. First in 2018 in Muntok, West Bangka, Sumatra and the second in 2019 in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan. We would like to disseminate the HUL QS Method all over Indonesia and we decided to do it by publishing a handbook for university teachers. Hopefully, the university teachers could organize workshops with their students. The Handbook will be launched in 2021 in two versions, Indonesian and English. 

The participants of the HUL site visits in Muntok

Banjarmasin, a city of thousand rivers

PAN-SUMATRA NETWORK FOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION (PANSUMNET)
Online Monthly Meetings

Pansumnet exists since 1998 as an informal network of organizations and individuals who save heritage in Sumatra. All kinds of heritage, tangible and intangible. All are equal and involve voluntarily. We meet regularly through training or gatherings. But what makes this network still alive is the genuine passions of all members. 

During the pandemic, we even meet monthly. I am so touched by all the speakers and friends in Sumatra who keep doing something useful despite all challenges and difficulties. When I listened to them, I always felt recharged, and reminded me why I do what I do. 

PRESENTATION, MODERATION

Who thought that 2020 will be a rigorous online year with the Covid19 virus, lockdowns, and intensive virtual life? 

If life gives you lime, make lemonade. 

That was exactly what all of us did in 2020 with numerous online seminars and meetings.

Sumatra Heritage Trust 22nd Anniversary

Connecting two former coal mining World Heritage Sites in Europe and Asia

Historic Urban Landscape discussion hosted in Washington DC

How City Development Should Connect to Its History

The Network of Spices Route 

Indonesia Diaspora Speak!

LEAD (Leadership for Environment and Development)

Asia Network for Industrial Heritage (ANIH)

Livecast, 7 December, New Metropolis Amsterdam Southeast, 

about the experience of living in Southeast

CLOSER TO NATURE

The year twenty-twenty has taken me closer to nature as a volunteer to take care of a piece of protected forest in the Netherlands. It is a few hours per week. 

Starting with not knowing what to do and slowly learning about the values of being protected forest by the local authorities. Each type of flora and fauna are special for the local habitat. Some are endangered, some are migrated from other parts of the world. 

Regular contacts and better understanding help a lot of loving the protected forest more and more. 

An important lesson learned: when you are kind to nature, nature is more kind to you. 

I always feel refreshed and recharged after working in the forest. 

Various experts helped me to understand
some details of the protected forest.