UNESCO Adds Yogyakarta Philosophy Axis to World Heritage List

Central Java – The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) adds Yogyakarta Philosophy Axis tp world cultural heritage at the World Heritage Committee (WHC) 45^th Session in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday. 

During a session attended by Deputy Governor of Yogyakarta KGPAA Sri Paduka Paku Alam the 10th, the Yogyakarta Philosophy Axis is fully accepted without objection as a World Cultural Heritage according to WHC 2345.COM 8B. 39 designation document on September 18, 2023.

"We express our gratitude UNESCO and all levels of society who have supported efforts to preserve the Philosophy Axis as a world heritage that has universal noble values for human civilization in the present and future," Governor of Yogyakarta, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono said on Tuesday. 

Sri Sultan feels optimistic that the decision would serve as an opportunity for joint learning on universal values needed to create a new and better world in the future.

He also expressed hope that the noble values would serve as an inspiration and reference in creating a better world.

Different from the world heritage nominations from other countries, the process of designating the Yogyakarta Philosophy Axis as a World Cultural Heritage is relatively quick. 

"Congratulations to Indonesia for passing the Philosophy Axis as a World Cultural Heritage," Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee Abdulelah Al-Tokhais noted in an official statement received in Yogyakarta. 

Indonesian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Abdul Aziz Ahmad, as head of the Indonesian delegation at the session, expressed gratitude to the UNESCO World Heritage Commission for designating the Yogyakarta Philosophy Axis to be included in the World Heritage List.

"We are honored to be able to contribute this pearl to the World Heritage List, which is a beautiful blend of tangible and intangible cultural heritage," Aziz said. 

Apart from Deputy Governor of Yogyakarta KGPAA Sri Paduka Paku Alam the 10^th,other attendees at the designation session were Regional Secretary of Yogyakarta Beny Suharsono, Head of the Yogyakarta Cultural Service Dian Lakshmi Pratiwi, representative of the Yogyakarta Palace Bimo Unggul Yudo, and other members of the Yogyakarta Delegation Team.

"The Yogyakarta Philosophical Axis, with the name 'The Cosmological Axis of Yogyakarta and Its Historic Landmarks,' now not only belongs to Yogyakarta or Indonesia but also belongs to the world," Paku Alam the 10th mentioned. 

Paku Alam emphasized that the designation was an extraordinary world award for the existence of Yogyakarta's noble cultural values as special values and the identity of Yogyakarta.

"Yogyakarta culture contributes to maintaining the sustainability of world prosperity,"

Moreover, the Yogyakarta Philosophical Axis, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage list, with the full title "The Cosmological Axis of Yogyakarta and Its Historic Landmarks," is recognized as a world heritage because it is considered to have universal significance.

The concept of spatial planning, which became known as the Yogyakarta Philosophy Axis, was first coined by the First King of the Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat Sultanate in the 18^th century.

The spatial concept is based on the Javanese conception and takes the form of a straight road structure that stretches between Panggung Krapyak in the south, Kraton Yogyakarta (Yogyakarta Palace), and Tugu Yogyakarta (Yogyakarta Monument) in the north.

The structure of the road along with several areas around it, which hold philosophical symbolism, are the embodiment of the Javanese philosophy of human existence that includes the human life cycle (Sangkan Paraning Dumadi), harmonious life between humans and between humans and nature (Hamemayu Hayuning Bawana), the relationship between humans and God, the Creator, and between leaders and their people (Manunggaling Kawula Gusti), as well as the microcosmic and macrocosmic worlds.

Various Javanese cultural traditions and practices in the government, customary law, art, literature, festivals and rituals are still carried out around the Philosophy Axis area, in particular, and in Yogyakarta, in general.