CCN, Cilegon, June 25, 2024 — The Cilegon City Government, through the Regional Library and Archives Office (DPK), held a socialization event themed “The Importance of Ancient Manuscripts in Cilegon City” at the DPK Hall in Cilegon. The event was attended by various parties concerned with the preservation of ancient manuscripts, including the Regional Secretary (Sekda) of Cilegon City, Maman Mauludin, Head of DPK Cilegon, Ismatullah, and Agung Kriswanto from the National Library of Indonesia’s Department of Nusantara Manuscript Management.
In his speech, Sekda Cilegon, Maman Mauludin, appreciated the efforts to preserve ancient manuscripts made by DPK Cilegon. “The preservation of ancient manuscripts is regulated by Law Number 47 of 2007. All ancient manuscripts must be secured and preserved because they are sources of knowledge and civilization for the current and future generations,” said Maman.
The Head of DPK Cilegon, Ismatullah, explained that this year his office plans to maintain and care for existing ancient manuscripts. “We have taken the initiative to carry out this activity so that the ancient manuscripts in Cilegon City can be saved and published,” he explained.
Ismatullah emphasized the importance of collecting ancient manuscripts from all historical objects in Cilegon City to prevent them from being lost over time. Furthermore, his office plans to digitize all collected ancient manuscripts, which can later be used as knowledge and literature on the region’s historical records for students and the public in the future. “Hopefully, this will become a government resource that can be published and documented neatly so that it can be enjoyed by future generations,” he said.
To increase public interest in these ancient manuscripts, Ismatullah added that various socialization efforts are needed. “We will conduct socialization to the public and make this place a safe place to deposit ancient manuscripts, which we will then preserve, digitize, and publish,” he said.
Agung Kriswanto from the National Library of Indonesia added that collaboration between regional and central governments is crucial in preserving ancient manuscripts. “The National Library of Indonesia is ready to support this preservation effort through various programs and technical assistance. We also encourage collaboration with international institutions to strengthen efforts to preserve ancient manuscripts in Indonesia,” he said.
The socialization event also featured several history enthusiasts from Cilegon Banten who presented various materials on the history, value, and preservation techniques of ancient manuscripts. One interesting presentation was delivered by the Jejaka Community, which provided information on manuscripts found in Cilegon from field surveys and explained techniques for conserving ancient manuscripts and the importance of digitization in maintaining the continuity of information.
An interactive Q&A session demonstrated the participants’ enthusiasm in exploring concrete ways to preserve ancient manuscripts. Some participants also shared their experiences and local initiatives in safeguarding ancient manuscripts in their areas.
The event concluded with closing remarks from the Head of DPK, Ismatullah, who reiterated the government’s commitment to continuously support the preservation of ancient manuscripts as part of efforts to protect the cultural and historical heritage of Cilegon City.
Through this socialization, it is hoped that public awareness of the importance of ancient manuscripts will increase, ensuring that this valuable cultural heritage remains preserved and passed on to future generations. This socialization marks a positive first step in the effort to preserve ancient manuscripts in Cilegon City, which is expected to inspire other regions to undertake similar efforts. (Ahdi)
