The concept, established since 1755, is now translated by UNESCO as a sustainable development program.

The governor said that this concept was essentially aligned with the purpose of the Cosmological Axis, which embodied the idea of ensuring the sustainability of life and its resources.

"The direct impact on the community may be seen in the boundaries, such as the west and east, which are part of UNESCO's programs for Code and Winongo. In the north, we have Tugu, and in the south, Krapyak. However, the philosophy is not confined to these boundaries; it's about how to preserve the environment to sustain human life, not harm it," he stated.

Sultan noted that following the recognition of the Cosmological Axis as a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO, there would be recommendations to follow and periodic activity reports to submit.

Additionally, he mentioned the establishment of a dedicated agency to manage the Cosmological Axis area, comprising government representatives, academics and the community.

"For me, there must be an element of community involvement in its management. We need to listen to their aspirations; it shouldn't be a unilateral decision. In the future, there will certainly be recommendations to implement as a consequence of this recognition, such as restoring certain historical structures, for example," he explained.

He acknowledged that UNESCO's recognition of the Cosmological Axis would lead to consequences regarding regulations and provisions for the local area.

However, he explained that this did not mean that development would be prohibited in the area. There will be restrictions and stricter regulations, but he acknowledged that he had yet to receive further information about the specific requirements for the future.

"This doesn't mean you can't build in the Cosmological Axis area. It's still allowed, but the existing structures that are considered part of the Cosmological Axis must be preserved. For example, if we register certain land as a protected corridor, then it shouldn't be developed. If it is developed, it would be a violation," he elaborated.

The governor added that the process of recognizing the Cosmological Axis as a world cultural heritage site happened quite swiftly during the 45th Extraordinary Session of the World Heritage Committee in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from Sept. 10 to 25. There were no interruptions during the delegation's presentation because the local government had already implemented several UNESCO recommendations through ICOMOS.

"Getting listed in UNESCO is not an easy task; India had applied before, and other countries had objections. There was a lengthy dialogue, but thankfully, with Indonesia's second attempt, the Jogja philosophy issue was resolved quickly. I was worried that there might be many interruptions like in India, but there were none. I express my gratitude to all the delegations from other countries who were plenary members," Sultan said.

"We hope that we can implement the existing recommendations as a consequence, such as the issue of restoring historical structures, for example. We have already begun rebuilding it, which is one of the notes that may become a recommendation with the acceptance of the Jogja philosophy as a part of world cultural heritage," he added.

According to the governor, with the designation of the Cosmological Axis as a world cultural heritage site, the concept and lessons it encompasses will be more extensive, no longer limited to the people of Jogja or Indonesia but belonging to the world. Consequently, efforts to preserve, follow and implement the program's recommendations must also be consistent.

"I would like to emphasize that this can be a learning opportunity, not only for Jogja but for the world. Hopefully, we are consistent in applying the recommendations, which will become UNESCO's notes for meeting the standards that must be reported every period," he concluded.

Popular

Java airports grounded by low demand, poor planning

'Dialogue' must be at heart of China, Australia ties, PM tells Xi

Rethinking ocean finance