Raja Ampat Regent Inaugurates Arts Council for 2026–2031

Raja Ampat Kartininews.com - Raja Ampat Regent Orideko I. Burdam officially inaugurated the Raja Ampat Regency Arts Council for the 2026–2031 term at the Pari Convention Center in Waisai City on Monday (4/5/2026). The move is a strategic step to strengthen the role of arts and culture in regional development.

In his speech, Orideko emphasized that the inauguration of the Arts Council marks an important milestone in reinforcing the position of arts and culture as part of the community's identity and civilization.

“Art is the soul of a civilization. Where art thrives, humanity blossoms perfectly,” he said.

He added that Raja Ampat’s world-renowned natural wealth must be balanced with the strengthening of local cultural values. Various cultural heritages—such as the Wor Dance, carving arts, traditional music, and local handicrafts—are valuable assets that must be protected and developed sustainably.

According to him, the Raja Ampat Regency Arts Council has a strategic role as a platform for artists and cultural figures to preserve, develop, and promote the region’s arts and culture.

He stressed that the institution is not merely symbolic but must serve as the driving force of culture in the region.

“The Arts Council must become a bridge between the richness of the past and the creativity of the future, and be capable of bringing Raja Ampat’s arts and culture to the national and international stage,” he said.

He also encouraged the Arts Council to actively organize cultural arts festivals, facilitate young artists, and document endangered traditional arts as part of efforts to build an inclusive and sustainable arts ecosystem.

Furthermore, the Raja Ampat Regency Government is committed to being a strategic partner of the Arts Council in supporting the advancement of regional arts and culture so that they gain wider recognition, including at the global level.

With the inauguration of the new leadership, the Raja Ampat Regency Arts Council is expected to serve as both a guardian and a driver of cultural preservation, in order to safeguard the region’s identity and strengthen its cultural competitiveness in the future.