Jakarta, November 16, 2025 – The Europe Today: Indonesia is set to receive another significant batch of repatriated cultural artifacts from the United States, including the historic Surocolo statue currently held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), in what officials describe as a milestone in global cultural restitution efforts.
Culture Minister Fadli Zon announced on Saturday that the forthcoming repatriation marks a new phase in Indonesia’s campaign to reclaim national heritage removed from the country, noting that The Met had proactively initiated the return of the bronze Surocolo statue after identifying it as a missing Indonesian artifact.
“This sets a precedent,” Fadli stated. “We hope other major institutions will follow suit in returning objects that may have been acquired through questionable means. This is momentum we must build on.”
The Surocolo statue is one of six cultural objects scheduled for return, including bronze statues from the Srivijaya Kingdom era and terracotta pieces. The move follows previous restitutions, including six bronze statues and a sculpture handed over by the New York District Attorney’s Office.
The repatriation plan was further discussed during a meeting in Jakarta between Minister Fadli and Indonesia’s Consul General in New York, Winanto Adi. Winanto noted that The Met’s director had personally visited the Indonesian Consulate and traveled to Borobudur to trace the statue’s origins—an unprecedented gesture that he said opens the door to deeper collaboration.
“This is a huge opportunity for Indonesia,” Winanto emphasized. “It signals a new dialogue on cultural accountability.”
The initiative forms part of Indonesia’s broader push to strengthen cultural sovereignty and combat the illicit trade in antiquities. Over the past decade, U.S. authorities—including a specialized task force in New York—have seized thousands of Southeast Asian artifacts, many of which are now being traced back to their countries of origin with assistance from regional experts.
Indonesia continues to strengthen cooperation with international museums, law enforcement bodies, and cultural institutions to accelerate the return of its heritage and prevent future smuggling.
