Ambon, The seriousness of Ponorogo Regency to become the Unesco Creative Cities Network (UCCN) continues to be carried out. This time, in order to mature the steps to become part of the world’s creative city network,
the Ponorogo Regency Focal Point Team visited Ambon City. The arrival of the Ponorogo Team to Ambon, which is one of the world’s music city networks determined by Unesco on October 31, 2019, was to gain knowledge and deepen the material ahead of this year’s Unesco determination.
Not only in dialogue with the Ambon Music Office (AMO), the team also visited a number of locations that are the centers of the music ecosystem in Ambon. Head of the Ponorogo Regency Team Hamy Wahyujianto said, by learning from AMO which is the driving force of the Ambon Music City, Ponorogo can learn tips and strategies in perfecting the steps to make Ponorogo a UNESCO creative city network with the category of crafts and folk performing arts.
“In Ponorogo there is a strong art that is rooted in the community, namely Reog. Well, this is what we are raising to become the driving force of the creative city later. We went to Ambon to learn from AMO how the music here is so strong and moves this city so that it can become a UNESCO network,” he said.
Hamy admitted that his party gained important knowledge when visiting the music forest in the Amahusu area, which AMO designed to be the center of Sound Of Green (SOG), or the concept of combining culture, nature and local potential such as Sago, Coconut and Waji.
“The SOG concept in the Amahusu Music Forest designed by AMO is an important lesson for us. Because innovation like this can attract people to love the environment, and proof that culture can also contribute to maintaining the sustainability of nature,” he admitted.
Meanwhile, AMO Executive Director, Ronni Loopies admitted that he was pleased with the visit of the Ponorogo team. His party admitted that as one of the Unesco networks, AMO and Ambon have a moral responsibility in encouraging Ponorogo to qualify to become UCCN.
“I also happen to be on the National Selection Committee for the UCCN 2025 nomination proposal, so we are both learning. How to maintain a creative ecosystem with Ambon. Although I think Ponorogo is very strong for its Reog,” he admitted.
Ronni explained, in terms of carrying the creative concept of the Unesco network world, Ponorogo also needs to pay attention to 3 issues that are currently of concern to Unesco.
Among others, gender equality, environmental sustainability, and community involvement.
“These are the 3 things that Ponorogo and Reog need to do. Not only poured into the Dossier but applied in all aspects of the city,” he emphasized.
Just for information, Ponorogo Regency and Malang City are two cities in East Java Province that in 2025 were proposed by the Indonesian Government to become Unesco creative cities. Where Ponorogo was proposed with the Craft and Folk Art category through its Reog art, while Malang City was proposed with the Media Art category. *Man
