The Heritage conservation movement in Indonesia is still a very young movement. The Bandung Society for Heritage Conservation was formed in 1987, and was the first organization of its type in the country. It was not until 1989 that the Indonesian National Heritage Trust was set up.

However there are optimistic signs that the ideas of the urban conservation lobbyist are at last gaining some ground. November 1992 has been the first National Dialogue on the topic which has been marked by successive meeting in Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Semarang, and Yogyakarta. All the meetings were attended by a group of heritage experts on a USIS (United States Information Service) sponsored tour from the USA. The group consisted of William J. Murtagh, Director of Preservation Programs, National Trust for Heritage Preservation, Washington D.C.; Dr. Poppiliers, Director of Preservation Projects, U.U. Department of Parks, and Patricia Gay, Executive Director of Preservation Resource Center, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Whilst in Bandung the group was entertained by lectures, an exhibition, a cultural performance, and a city tour. They also participated in a series of discussion groups. One of the lectures concerned the development of Art Deco architecture in the city and was given by Dibyo Hartono, Head of the West Java Art Deco Society.

Guy Wiltcher
West Java Art Deco Society (Indonesia)

(JW)