Chingay nominated by Singapore and Malaysia for Unesco’s intangible cultural heritage list
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Today, Chingay is still actively practised in Singapore, Penang and Johor Bahru.
ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
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SINGAPORE - The Chingay parade has been jointly nominated by Singapore and Malaysia to be inscribed on Unesco’s list of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of humanity.
This marks Singapore’s third Unesco nomination to the list, the first being hawker culture that was inscribed in 2020, followed by a joint bid for the kebaya with Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, which made the 2024 list.
The joint nomination submitted on March 27 with Malaysia celebrates Chingay as a form of shared heritage in both countries that brings together multicultural communities across national borders, said the National Heritage Board (NHB) and People’s Association (PA) in a statement on April 7.
Today, Chingay – a boisterous street pageant of colourful floats and performers that draws enthusiastic crowds both young and old – is still held regularly in Singapore, Penang and Johor Bahru.
The nomination also marks the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations between Singapore and Malaysia in 2025.
In Singapore, the official submission was preceded by eight months of preparations where the NHB and PA involved community groups as well as local practitioners, volunteers and representatives from cultural associations.
The preparations included focus group discussions with about 90 stakeholders comprising volunteers, choreographers, arts and dance groups and community artists to seek views on the social and cultural significance of Chingay and propose measures to safeguard the heritage.
NHB and PA also launched a microsite for visitors to provide support, which has since garnered more than 2,000 messages, along with a digital #ChingaySG campaign with over 5,500 posts from people sharing their parade experiences.
Members of the public also contributed over 30,000 support cards for people to express their support for the nomination.
Two joint workshops were held in Singapore and Johor Bahru for the peoples of both sides to draft the nomination documents.
“We hope that such nominations and efforts continue to deepen pride in our multicultural living heritage, enabling it to remain relevant to Singaporeans across generations,” said Ms Chang Hwee Nee, NHB’s chief executive.
Mr Jimmy Toh, PA’s chief executive director, said that after over 50 editions of Chingay, Singapore will continue to raise awareness of the cultural heritage, especially among the young, through public outreach events, roadshows and exhibitions.
One such effort was the PAssionArts x Chingay Community Floats held from October to December 2024 where the public contributed to the creation of the floats for Chingay 2025. Over the next two years, more events are afoot, including roving Chingay roadshows at more than 30 locations and a stamp design competition.
The nomination file submitted to Unesco included two videos featuring statements, consent and support for the bid by community representatives from Singapore and Malaysia, and a 10-minute video explaining how the parade is held and safeguarded in both countries.
Unesco will then evaluate the submission based on its criteria, which include community participation in the nomination process as well as inclusion of Chingay in the ICH inventories of the participating countries.
The evaluation period would depend on the total number of files submitted, after which the secretariat will inform all parties in the year in which the results will be announced.
