UNESCO has launched a week-long exhibition, “Sambatan: Bongkar Pasang Pengetahuan Omah Jawa ‘Mbuduran’”, showcasing traditional Javanese houses and their cultural significance at the Borobudur Temple Compounds World Heritage Site in Magelang, Indonesia.
The exhibition features hands-on workshops, talk shows, and guided tours, highlighting the living knowledge and craftsmanship embedded in Omah Jawa Mbuduran, a style of vernacular architecture. According to Moe Chiba, Chief of Culture Unit, UNESCO regional office in Jakarta, “Omah Jawa Mbuduran is not merely a building. It embodies the values, knowledge, and way of life of its community.”
The initiative aims to promote community-based heritage management and raise awareness about the importance of preserving traditional architecture. As Febriyanti Suryaningsih, Executive Director of the Center for Architectural Documentation, noted, “Community involvement is essential because they are the knowledge holders and the guardians of its continuity.”
Image Courtesy: UNIESCO
