Jakarta — A month-long festival linking cultural heritage with sustainability was launched on Thursday, October 2, at the United Nations offices in Jakarta.
The Festival Cerita Kota: People and the City, organised by Indonesia Hidden Heritage Creative Hub in collaboration with the UN Information Centre (UNIC) Jakarta, will run from 27 September to 28 October across seven cities, including Bandung, Palembang, Cirebon, Sumbawa, Kendari, and Ambon. The program transforms museums and public spaces into “living classrooms” to promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through storytelling, creativity, and youth participation.
The Jakarta opening highlighted SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, featuring talk shows and workshops on how museums can advance sustainable practices. Vice Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar said the moral duty behind sustainability: “Let us come together, not only because of the SDGs, but because this is our fundamental duty as one of the nations in the world,” she said.
Around 200 participants — including heritage experts, government officials, activists, and students — attended sessions that explored the links between creativity, heritage, and sustainability. Nofa Farida Lestari, Executive Director of Indonesia Hidden Heritage Creative Hub, said the initiative seeks to “activate 17 museums, heritage sites, and community spaces” as platforms to reflect on the 17 SDGs.
UNIC Jakarta Director Miklos Gaspar underlined the importance of reviving eco-friendly traditions. “Using banana leaves as packaging or bamboo sticks as materials helps to revive old traditions and at the same time supports environmental goals,” he said.
As the festival travels across Indonesia, each city will host tailored activities — from exhibitions and workshops to film screenings and heritage walks — with support from UN agencies such as UNEP, UNIDO, and IOM.
By moving beyond Jakarta, organisers hope the SDG conversation will reach people where they live and gather. “In museums, on the streets, and in community spaces, these discussions spark awareness, connect generations, and link heritage with the creative economy,” Lestari said. (nsh)
Banner photo: Riska Efriyanti, National Programme Officer at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), presents her paper on the role of Indonesian youth and women in sustainable production and consumption. (Dedi Maryanto/UNIC)
