Being invited by the George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI), which is in cooperation with IRCI under the project “Research on ICH Contributing to SDGs –Intangible Cultural Heritage for Sustainable Cities and Communities”, two staff members of International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (IRCI), Nojima Yoko, Head of the Research Section, and Sasaki Kazue, Associate Fellow, visited George Town, Malaysia during 7 – 9 July 2023, on the occasion of the town’s 15th anniversary as a World Heritage site. This visit was an excellent opportunity to update the progress of the case study that has been undertaken by GTWHI, while witnessing the dynamics of how tangible and intangible heritage elements of George Town are safeguarded and actively promoted.

IRCI visited the GTWHI office and discussed with General Manager, Dr Ang Ming Chee, and other staff members about the current situation and challenges of safeguarding cultural heritage in the World Heritage site of George Town. GTWHI emphasized that negotiations and dialogues with each community in a respectful manner and the involvement of all people are necessary to implement any project in a multicultural setting of George Town. With GTWHI’s arrangement, IRCI was fortunate to visit two communities that are investigated in the case study, namely Qaryah Masjid Jamek Benggali and Persatuan Warisan Dato Koyah, to learn about their activities and challenges for safeguarding their cultural heritage. For them, working with GTWHI was highly significant to recognize the value of their mosques and shrines as heritage and their role and responsibility to safeguard their heritage by themselves.

Through this visit, IRCI confirmed that the case study in George Town has been in progress through cooperation between GTWHI and the communities concerned. The result of the case study is expected to exemplify how communities regard their cultural identity as part of the multicultural and urban heritage of George Town.