Disaster Risk Reduction and Tsunami Information Unit (DRRTIU) of UNESCO Office Jakarta, jointly with the Geological Museum of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, organized a Consensus Building Workshop on Revitalization of Aceh Tsunami Museum in Le Meridien Hotel Jakarta on 12 October 2015. This workshop was supported by the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
Fifty participants from 23 institutions attended the workshop, including representatives from the of Education and Cultural, Indonesian Scientific Institute (LIPI), National Archive Agency (ANRI), Geological Museum, Aceh Mining and Oil Agency (Distamben), Aceh Disaster Management Office (BPBA), Tsunami Disaster Mitigation and Research Centre (TDMRC), Aceh Cultural and Tourism Office, Aceh Tsunami Museum (ATM) Management Office, Indonesian Museum Association and other disaster management and museum related government institutions and experts.
The objective of this workshop was to discuss and achieve consensus from stakeholders on: the concept and direction for the Revitalization for the Aceh Tsunami Museum to overcome the challenges and embrace the potential of the Museum; to maximize the roles, functions, and management of the Museum; and expanding the content of the museum to include the wider Indian Ocean context.
The workshop began with an opening remark by Mr. Irakli Khodeli of the UNESCO Office Jakarta who highlighted that this workshop was a follow up to an assessment of the Aceh Tsunami Museum that was conducted by a team of multidisciplinary experts on 7 to 10 October 2015. Highest appreciation was given to the international experts, namely:
Mr. Max Meijer from Timmer and Meijer Museology Consultant in Amsterdam
Professor Phil Cummins, Geosciences Expert of the Australian National University
Professor Eiji Mizushima, Museology of the University of Tsukuba
Professor Ikuo Kobayashi and Dr. Ryoga Ishihara from the Kobe Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institution.
The workshop then continued with a presentation on the initiative of the Revitalization of Aceh Tsunami Museum by Mr Ardito M. Kodijat, the National Program Officer for DRR TIU who explained about UNESCO Office Jakarta and Geological Museum collaboration for the Revitalization of the ATM, that is focused on seven main components:
Development of Aceh Tsunami Museum Master Plan
Revitalizing the Aceh Tsunami Museum
Expanding Museum Contents and Context to Indian Ocean
Capacity Building of Museum Management
Supporting Community Livelihood Development surrounding around the Tsunami Museum and Monuments
Building International Networks and Links
Promotional and Socialization of the Aceh Tsunami Museum.
The main agenda of the workshop was divided into two sessions, which are:
The history, plans and national vision for Aceh Tsunami Museum that were presented by Mr, Tomy Mulia Hasan, Head of the Aceh Cultural Agency, and Mr Sinung Baskoro from the Geological Museum, Bandung.
The recommendations resulted from multidisciplinary assessment on Aceh Tsunami Museum that was presented by 2 members of the expert team, Mr Max Meijer from TiMe Amsterdam and Professor Eiji Mizushima from University of Tsukuba.
After the presentation sessions, a group discussion was conducted by dividing the participants into 3 groups addressing the following topics: 1) Aceh Tsunami Roles and Functions; 2) Aceh Tsunami Museum Challenges and Potential; and 3) Museum Context and Content. A Video Tour inside the ATM was also released as an introduction to discussion.
As the final agenda of the workshop, a special session on UNESCO Program Memory of the World (MoW) was presented by Prof. Jan Sopaheluwakan, the former Head of the Indonesian Memory of the World Committee, and Prof. Wardiman Djojonegoro, current member of the Indonesian MoW Committee and former Minister of Culture. The overall objective of the MoW discussion session was to bring together key stakeholders to build consensus on the way forward for the possible future nomination of the Records of the Indian Ocean Tsunami (IOT) as UNESCO MoW.
The workshop then closed by Mr Ardito Kodijat of UNESCO Office Jakarta who conveyed his appreciation for the supports that was given by DFAT and technical assistances from the multidisciplinary experts.
