MELAKA, Various arts, culture and heritage related activities will be organised during the Melaka Heritage Festival in and around Banda Hilir, including Jalan Kota, for three days starting July 12.
State Deputy Exco for Tourism, Heritage, Arts and Culture, Datuk Zaidi Attan, said the festival themed ‘Warisan Kita, Kebanggaan Kita’ (Our Heritage, Our Pride) is being organised in conjunction with the 16th Anniversary of Melaka as an UNESCO World Heritage City.
He stated that among the interesting programmes are the Kebaya and Classic Attire Parade at the Stadthuys building on July 12, ‘Malakka Dutch Week’ including an exhibition on bilateral relations between Melaka and the Netherlands at the Melaka Art Gallery for seven days starting July 13, and the Hikayat Hang Tuah Theatre at Encore Melaka on July 13.
“In addition, there will be various performances of arts, culture and heritage such as dances involving various ethnicities in Melaka, kompang, silat, wushu, dondang sayang, pantun, nazam and exhibitions a
nd sales of handicraft products like beaded shoes, nyonya kebaya, wooden clogs and keris.
“The highlight event is the Hikayat Hang Tuah Theatre, expected to be attended by 1,800 people including ambassadors from various countries, and we also estimate that the three-day Melaka Heritage Festival will attract up to 70,000 visitors,” he said when met by reporters at the Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum here today.
He said this after officiating the closing ceremony and prize giving for the Jejak Seni Exploration @ Melaka Museum and the ‘Museum Heritage and Art Photography Competition’, which was also attended by the General Manager of the Melaka Museum Corporation, Erne Hamsah.
The one-day Jejak Seni Exploration @ Melaka Museum and the ‘Museum Heritage and Art Photography Competition’ served as a platform for participants, especially the youth, to appreciate in the historical and heritage legacies around the UNESCO site.
Elaborating further, Zaidi said that images related to manuscripts and historical artefact
s, including banners related to the Selangor-Dutch war involving the colonisers and Raja Haji in Teluk Ketapang found in the Maritime Museum in the Netherlands, will also be exhibited to visitors during the ‘Malakka Dutch Week’ exhibition.
“We will display images of manuscripts and historical artefact, including banners, before seeking cooperation from the Dutch government to bring these items back to Melaka next November,” he said.
He added that the Melaka Heritage Festival is also intended to showcase the rich arts, culture and heritage of the ethnic groups in Melaka and this country, not only to local and international tourists but also to the younger generation so that they are not forgotten.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency
