The role of paradiplomacy for cultural heritage preservation: The cosmological axis of yogyakarta

The Yogyakarta Cosmological Axis, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023, provides a critical lens on how subnational paradiplomacy operates in heritage governance. This study aims to identify and analyze the role of paradiplomacy in cultural heritage preservation through the Cosmological Axis of Yogyakarta case. In this case, the initiative was driven by subnational actors—particularly the Yogyakarta provincial government and cultural institutions—who mobilized local resources, legal frameworks, and cultural legitimacy to propose and manage the nomination. This configuration introduced a multi-layered governance dynamic as subnational actors engaged with international heritage frameworks. Using qualitative methods, including field observation and in-depth interviews, this research reveals how Yogyakarta leveraged international networks and aligned local planning instruments with UNESCO's criteria to translate Javanese cosmology into a globally legible heritage framework. While operating within a national system that grants no formal diplomatic authority to regions, these actors advanced cultural diplomacy through strategic negotiation and institutional innovation. The findings highlight both the agency and the constraints of subnational diplomacy and its mixed local impacts—shifting governance structures, contested spatial planning, and uneven community benefits. This study advances debates on paradiplomacy and cultural governance by demonstrating how subnational diplomacy can secure global recognition while maintaining cultural sovereignty in the Global South context.