The world's civilization, consisting of diverse cultures, makes it a shared wealth for the world. This creates a unique identity with its own characteristics. On one hand, this diversity colors the life of the world today. However, on the other hand, it can become a challenge and even a boomerang if each culture prioritizes egocentrism, primordialism, and tends to belittle one another.

The discourse of global cultural meetings through the CHANDI SUMMIT 2025 is based on a shared understanding for harmonious life among nations and peoples. Dialogue for development based on culture becomes a common foundational narrative. Before discussing Indonesia's cultural position in the global arena, it is interesting to revisit our diversity. Examining the periodization of civilization advancement in each country will certainly vary. The level of understanding related to cultural advancement is influenced by the process of a nation's birth itself.

The great revolution of the birth of a new civilization post-World War II gave rise to new nations that were free from the influence of foreign cultures that had long gripped the archipelago. The ideological and political revolutions were not accompanied by a cultural revolution. The mindset of the Indonesian people, which had been shackled for hundreds of years and forced by colonizers to be detached from the advancement of world civilization, led to the emergence of an inferior and low self-esteem mindset.

If countries that existed before the birth of new nations in the period of 1945-1965 viewed the world for the welfare of their people and prioritized the superiority of their nation's thoughts, it is different from the countries that emerged later, which are still in the stage of searching for identity. The natural evolution of culture in new countries must be forced to race to catch up with the quality of human resources with countries that have matured as civilizations.

Indonesia's development faces global influences and interactions that, in many ways, are even stronger than our own ability to resist them. In this era of globalization, there is not only the spread of culture from developed countries to developing countries, but also the cultural conquest from developing countries. In this regard, national and regional cultures face challenges, namely (1) how to develop a cultural system that enables it to compete in global competition, (2) how to utilize the spread, intervention, and even cultural conquest for the purposes of development.

An Open Culture

To address the global challenges in culture mentioned above, regional cultures must be open. This means being able to adapt and adjust to global demands while remaining rooted in the values, morals, and norms of the original culture. Positive values of global culture are adapted to the positive values of our culture, so that our national identity remains strong but has a positive global nuance (Nugroho, 2001:71-73).

The advancement of culture in each country certainly has different approaches in its perspective. The backwardness of civilization is an inevitability that cannot be forced. The stigma of developed and developing countries constantly haunts nation-states in viewing global cultural development. Different starting points will continue to lead to different achievements in cultural advancement in each country. The cultural advancement currently championed by developed countries may only be considered by developing countries in a hundred years to come.

Conversely, the cultural advancement currently promoted in developing countries has been carried out by developed countries several decades ago. While countries that are newly seeking their identity post-birth are only thinking about preserving culture as both a spectacle and guidance in line with their search for identity, developed countries have already laid the groundwork for thinking about how to develop and utilize culture as an effort to fulfill aspects of sustainable economic development.

Through this CHANDI SUMMIT, the gap in understanding related to global cultural development becomes a confluence of thought exchange and an effort to stimulate a global cultural revolution where all parties involved can express the latest views and listen to achievements related to cultural advancement in their respective countries of origin.

In Indonesia, cultural advancement has been regulated and is also one of the national development priorities. The advancement of culture is further articulated in the vision "Golden Indonesia 2045", which aspires to build a just and prosperous society rooted in harmony with nature, cultural wealth, and religious tolerance. The main foundation is an effort to explore local wisdom and diverse cultural heritage, all of which contribute to a tangible agenda for global cultural development. The continuity of world civilization begins with the local wisdom of each nation's civilization as global citizens who prioritize world peace.

The CHANDI SUMMIT, held by the Ministry of Culture from September 2-5, 2025, in Bali, is part of a strategic step for Indonesia's existence in global cultural development, where culture is a tangible effort of a nation's diplomacy. The cultural missions of each participating country will culminate in dialogue, transfer of understanding and knowledge, and promoting tolerance in coexistence as global citizens. The diversity of world cultures, each with its own characteristics, is showcased, culminating in the preservation of cultural assets as evidence of the sustainability of world civilization.

References

Ajawaila, J.W. 2003. Cultural Identity: Me in Local Culture, National Culture, and Global Culture. Proceedings of Cultural Dialogue: A Means of Preservation and Development of National Culture. Cultural and Tourism Development Agency, Deputy for Preservation and Development of Culture, Directorate of Tradition and Belief.

Widjajanto, Nugroho 2001. Accounting Information Systems. Jakarta: Erlangga