Website jalurrempah.kemdikbud.go.id becomes a Digital Platform to Unite Initiatives, Ideas and Information as Well as Education on Indonesian Spice Culture
The Directorate General of The Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia through the Directorate of Cultural Development and Utilization officially launches Spice Routes website and Awards for Works in Indonesian Spice Culture, an event to show appreciation for the winners of Spice Route visualization in the forms of posters, animations and comics.
The Directorate General of Culture of The Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, Hilmar Farid, stated that “Indonesian maritime is a historical route indicating the growth of seafaring and trade, triggered by its superior commodity namely spices.”
The routes of which formed the Spice Routes, abstract yet tangible; both on sea and land. Spice Routes now has become the center of Indonesian maritime culture, cultural and social routes which have not only served as trade access, but also brought along initiatives, knowledge, art and culture across the routes from the most eastern part of the Indonesian archipelago through the Malaka Strait all the way to Africa, Middle East, and Europe.”
Furthermore, Dirjen Hilmar Farid asserted that for those very reasons that The Ministry of Education and Culture with The Spice Routes Committee are launching the Spice Routes website, a digital platform which not only can unite various ideas, thoughts and information but can also serve as an educational medium for the Indonesian people.
“In this great opportunity I would also like to wish us all a Happy Indonesian Archipelago Day on this coming 13th of December, with this year’s theme Maritime Culture to Boost Economy in the Digital Age. Comgratulations and my highest appreciation for all the winners of Indonesian Spice Cultural Works Awards, may all your works become Spice Routes’ hip and strategic communication tools and able to reach out to a broader audience.”
At the same occassion, The Director of Cultural Development and Utilization of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, Restu Gunawan expressed his congratulations for the official launching of Spice Routes website.
“We hope that this website could serve as a medium of information which in the future can be developed into a digital platform for all stakeholders involved in the Indonesian spice culture. The Director General of Culture of the Ministry of Education and Cuture, as the initiator for the forming of network and Indonesian spice cultural ecosystem is hoping that the website can serve as an educational and informational medium which will enrich and especially inspire the millennial generation to even deeper falling in love with their culture, to improve and strengthen our nation’s self identity.”
Director Restu Gunawan also revealed that the website is a part of commitment and a greater work to deliver a message to the world that the spice routes as a cultural route from Indonesia which was essential to the world deserved a recognation from the UNESCO. One of the important agendas is to gain UNESCO’s recognition as a World Heritage (World Heritage) to improve Indonesian diplomacy, as well as to confirm Indonesia sa the center of world’s maritime.
