Welcoming speech at Seminar Memory of the Nation

Welcoming Speech

By

Director General of National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia

At the Opening Session of The International Seminar on Archives as Collective Memory of the Nations

• H.E. Mr Taufiq Effendi, State Minister for Administrative Reform of the Republic of Indonesia.
• Mr. Gede Berata, Governor of Bali Province
• Director General of National Civil Service Agency (Kepala BKN), and Director General of National Institute of Administration (Kepala LAN)
• Prof. Dr. Arief Rachman, M.Pd, Chairman of Indonesian National Commission for UNESCO
• Members of SARBICA
• Distinguished speakers and participants
• Ladies and gentlemen

Assalamu’alaikum wr.wb

Om Swastiastu

Good Morning

First of all let us thank God Almighty that only because of His blessing we are able to be here to participate the opening ceremony of The International Seminar on Archives as Collective Memory of the Nations attended by participants from all over the world that have historical relations and archives toward Indonesia, especially representative of SARBICA, Nationaal Archief of Netherlands, Sri Lanka, India, Suriname, South Africa, England, Portugal, Japan, Singapore, and Malaysia, Indonesian National Commission for UNESCO, departments, provincial and municipal Archives Institutions, universities, NGO’s etc., to disseminate the commitment on archives.

The seminar represents the commitment of National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia regarding the important meaning of archives/documents as cultural heritage for preservation of civilization. Joint commitment needs to be developed not only by the Indonesian internally, but also by crossing other nations in the world that can be done by exploring studies comprehensively on the memory collective of the nations.

From this International seminar it is expected to develop awareness on the importance of archives as collective memory of the nations and to urge good cooperation among participants as well as to sound out archives withdrawal to National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia.   

Honorable Minister, permit me to report materials discussed on this seminar by speakers and experts from Indonesia and other countries in the world, namely:

1. Concept on Archives/documents as collective memory of the nations
2. Treasures and management of archives/documents regarding Indonesia in outer parts of the country
3. Collective memory in Colonial era in Indonesia
4. Collective memory in Japanese occupation in Indonesia
5. Collective memory in Soekarno and Soeharto era
6. Archives and Preservation of historical buildings
7. Archives for public service from the Perspective of Information Technology and Communication
8. International Cooperation and Socialization of collective memory of the nations among Archives Institutions in the participants’ countries
9. Documentation of Collective Memory of the Nations as parts of Memory of the World

Honorable Minister, in this opportunity permit me to ask you to present a book entitled Inventory of the VOC Archives which is published by the cooperation between the National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia and The Nationaal Archief of Netherlands.

Finally, I’d like to ask Your Excellency, Mr. Taufiq Effendi to officiate the International Seminar.

Thank you very much.

Wassalammu’alaikum Wr.wb.

Jakarta, 3 September 2007

Director General

National Archives of the republic of Indonesia

Translated and editted by Rini