Monday, 21 August 2022. With the sound of drone and the waves from the deepest river in Indonesia, the participants of Indonesia Heritage Gathering (Temu Pusaka Indonesia / TPI) 2022 at Siak read Siak Declaration 2022: Opportunities and Challenges for the Implementation of Heritage Economy in Heritage City. This declaration video was played at the Final Forum, the event that became the culmination of the entire TPI 2022 Siak.

It's been 18 years since the Indonesian Heritage Trust (Bumi Pelestarian Pusaka Indonesia / BPPI), a conservation organization that accommodates conservation practitioners and activists from various regions in Indonesia, has been actively building heritage conservation movement in the region. Part of its annual program is known as Temu Pusaka Indonesia (TPI). This annual event is a gathering for all partners and heritage conservation organizations from various regions in Indonesia to come together and share success stories and challenges faced in conservation efforts during the whole year. Even in the midst of Covid-19 pandemic, BPPI remains consistent in carrying out various conservation activities through adaptations, and TPI is no exception. In 2020, BPPI adapted by holding the first online TPI. 2021 was the first hybrid TPI, a combination of online and offline attendace. And in 2022, TPI fully returned with a new spirit and held all its events offline in Siak Regency, Riau Province.

Siak is a heritage city known for its historical heritage with deeply rooted Malay culture in every aspect of their society. Since being designated as a Heritage City, Siak has continued to improve its conservation efforts through collaboration with various stakeholders from the government, communities, and various related institutions at Indonesia and abroad. It is this spirit that underlies the theme of TPI 2022: "Opportunities and Challenges of the Implementation of Heritage Economy in a Heritage Citiy". TPI 2022 was attended by participants from various backgrounds and age groups from Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Semarang, Denpasar, Sawahlunto, Riau, Vienna, and more. Also closely involved in TPI 2022 are the local government of Siak Regency, young communities such as SKELAS and Heritage Hero who enthusiastically introduce various aspects of Siak heritage to participants from all over the archipelago.

The TPI 2022 event consisted of six main activities spread over three days from Thursday, August 18 2022, and to Sunday, August 21 2022.

The first day kicked off with Conservation Class, a special session that invited senior experts in the field of conservation to share knowledge on sustainable management of Siak heritage, both tangible and intangible heritage, for regional officials and teachers in Siak. Followed by the International Partners Forum, a forum for discussion and exchange of ideas where international conservation professionals share experiences, success stories, and challenges in heritage conservation from ICOMOS Jakarta, ICOMOS Austria, International National Trust Organization (INTO), and Southeast Asia Cultural Heritage Alliance (SEACHA) . The first day ended with a warm welcome from the Regent of Siak.

The second day opened with a Heritage Trail exploring Kerapatan Tinggi Hall, Syahabuddin Mosque, Hock Siu Kiong Temple, Siak Palace and Peraduan Palace, and Madrasatun Nisa' to get to know the history, traditions, arts, and customs of the people of Siak. It was followed by a Local Partners Forum which invited representatives of the Jogja Heritage Society and Bali Kuna Santi, and continued with a Opening Forum which presented national figures to talk about heritage conservation and messages, which on this occasion were given by Hashim Djojohadikusumo and Sandiaga Uno as Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia. The second day concluded with a Dialogue Forum, a forum for exchanging perspectives between the government, academia, and the community on the field of conservation, particularly related to landscape heritage and heritage economics.

The three days ended with the Final Gathering which concluded the series of events with the Siak Declaration: Opportunities and Challenges for the Implementation of Heritage Economics in Heritage City, read by participants on the banks of Siak River. This declaration, which will be the main ingredient for the implementation of the Indonesian Heritage Year 2023, is committed on cementing collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), the Association of Indonesian Archaeologists (IAAI), the Siak Regency Government, and universities as well as other related institutions in the development of heritage conservation management and capacity building. It will also host a forum for communication and action for the younger generation as well as conservation activists, encouraging partnerships with the business field, and sharpening the role of the government as facilitators in implementing heritage economics and sustainable conservation management. In addition, this declaration is also committed to providing an understanding of the heritage economy and sharpening the understanding of heritage culture through continuous capacity building workshops through universities and other heritage conservation institutions.

The end of the three days of TPI 2022 should not be the end of conservation efforts. We hope that TPI 2022 can further strengthen the spirit of heritage conservation through understanding of the history of conservation journey in Siak, as well as formulating joint strategies and recommendations in the management of natural, cultural and landscape heritage from the experiences from various institutions, and bring Siak towards a more sustainable Heritage City.

Salam lestari!