ADVOCACY FOR THE SPICE ROUTE PROGRAM: STRATEGIES FOR PRESERVATION, CULTURAL DIPLOMACY, AND UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE NOMINATION

This paper presents a policy-oriented analysis of Indonesias initiative to nominate the Spice Route for UNESCO recognition by situating it at the intersection of heritage preservation, cultural diplomacy, and soft power strategy. Moving beyond descriptive historical reconstruction, the study proposes an integrated analytical framework that links archaeological and documentary evidence, institutional governance, and international diplomacy through a dual-track UNESCO approach encompassing both World Heritage and Memory of the World mechanisms. Employing a qualitative-descriptive methodology, the research draws on policy documents, historical sources, and expert consultations to assess strategic directions, institutional challenges, and Indonesias readiness for the nomination process. The study reframes the Spice Route not merely as a legacy of historical trade, but as a contemporary strategic cultural asset that reasserts Nusantaras central role in early global maritime networks and intercivilizational exchanges. The findings demonstrate that successful nomination requires coherent policy alignment,effective cross-ministerial coordination, and sustained international collaboration, particularly in addressing transnational narratives and shared heritage claims. By outlining practical advocacy pathways for policymakers, cultural institutions, and diplomatic actors, this paper contributes to the advancement of heritage diplomacy and offers a replicable model for other transboundary cultural routes within contemporary international relations.