inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology through the Directorate General of Culture is collaborating with communities to introduce ancient scripts to the public.

"The Directorate General of Culture continues to encourage community friends, one of which is under the Indonesian Epigraphy Experts Association (PAEI) to jointly carry out the dissemination or socialization of ancient scripts as an effort to advance culture," said the Director of Cultural Protection of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Judi Wahjudin on Monday (9/16/2024).

Director Judi explained that so far in efforts to advance culture, there have been cultural heritage preservation activities, such as documentation and publication. However, communities that introduce and spread about the ancient scripts are still few.

According to him, it is important to map the epigraphic ecosystem or the branch of archeology that studies the remains of written objects, so that they continue to work together to introduce ancient scripts to the public.

"So maybe now is the time to map the ecosystem, support them to do this together (preservation and introduction of ancient scripts), because it is indeed impossible for one institution to do it alone, so it takes mutual cooperation and cooperation related to this," explained Director Judi.

He said that the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology has so far facilitated cultural activists with Indonesiana funds, but there are still not many communities that propose programs for preserving or advancing culture, especially in the field of epigraphy.

In fact, from a practical perspective, for example in determining the birthdays of certain districts or regions, the primary sources come from inscriptions or ancient scripts from the past.

"So it is time to work together to open up public understanding, at least the script, or appreciate its existence as the main reference source," said Director Judi.

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