Malaysia to chair Unesco cultural heritage committee

PETALING JAYA: For the first time, Malaysia has been elected to chair the Unesco Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (IGC-ICH) from 2022 to 2026.

Tourism, arts, and culture ministry secretary-general Saraya Arbi led the Malaysian delegation, which won 110 out of 132 votes over other Asia Pacific countries.

The result was announced by Unesco’s assistant director-general for culture, Ernesto Ottone, at the agency’s headquarters in Paris, France, yesterday.

“Malaysia’s presence at an international-level platform, specifically Unesco, will boost the country’s identity and visibility in our efforts to preserve our heritage for future generations,” the ministry said in a statement.

It said its tasks would include formulating guidelines and recommendations for the preservation of intangible cultural heritage and drafting allocation proposals for the United Nations general assembly’s approval.

There are six elements in Malaysia listed under the intangible cultural heritage convention – the mak yong, dondang sayang, silat, wangkang ceremony, pantun, and songket. — Free Malaysia Today