Indonesia, Sudan Reinforce Cooperation on Cultural Heritage

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Indonesia’s Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, received the Ambassador of the Republic of Sudan to Indonesia, Yassir Mohamed Ali, for a bilateral meeting at the Ministry of Culture Office in Jakarta on 27 January 2026. The meeting served as an important momentum to strengthen Indonesia–Sudan bilateral relations through sustainable cultural cooperation and cultural diplomacy.

Minister Fadli Zon stated that Indonesia and the Republic of Sudan share various cultural values, particularly as countries with predominantly Muslim populations. These similarities are considered an important asset in developing cultural cooperation, especially in Islamic ceremonial and ritual traditions.

“Sudan is a country with a Muslim-majority population, and therefore shares many similarities in cultural expressions. Islamic ceremonial and ritual traditions are cultural riches that we can share together, including as part of UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage,” Minister Fadli Zon said.

Furthermore, the Minister highlighted efforts to strengthen cooperation within the framework of intangible cultural heritage as a means to celebrate shared values while reinforcing intercultural dialogue. As the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, Indonesia has a wide range of living traditions in celebrating the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday (Maulid Nabi), which continue to thrive in various regions such as Java, East Java, Aceh, Yogyakarta, and the Riau Islands.

Therefore, Indonesia expressed its interest in following up on cooperation opportunities with Sudan, including the possibility of developing or expanding the inscription of Maulid as a transnational intangible cultural heritage.

Meanwhile, the Ambassador of the Republic of Sudan, Yassir Mohamed Ali, also expressed his hope to establish cooperation with Indonesia, particularly in the areas of heritage site restoration, museum management, protection of antiquities, and capacity building for cultural human resources.

“We hope to learn from Indonesia’s experience. Indonesia’s expertise in museum preservation and the protection of antiquities is something we truly need, and such assistance would be greatly appreciated,” he added.

Yassir Mohamed Ali further emphasized that culture plays a strategic role in reconciliation processes and national peacebuilding efforts in the post-conflict period. Armed conflict in Sudan has caused serious damage to the country’s cultural heritage, including the looting and destruction of museums, national archives, libraries, and antiquities.

Authorities are currently undertaking major efforts to recover and restore lost and damaged cultural heritage. The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia to continue advancing cultural diplomacy as a means of strengthening bilateral relations, encouraging knowledge exchange, and promoting cultural values as the foundation of inclusive and sustainable international cooperation.