George Town keeps history alive with two initiatives

The Star

08-07-2025

Restoration underway: The location of the new initiative of Relic at Gat Lebuh Aceh. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: Heritage is not just about preserving old buildings – it is about sustaining the communities and cultures that breathe life into them.
And two key initiatives – the George Town Heritage Research, Education and Learning International Centre (GTH-Relic) and the Cultural Heritage Hub (CH²) – are planned to keep history alive.
Both initiatives are by George Town World Heritage Incorpora­ted (GTWHI), which is chaired by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
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Relic is a dedicated centre for research, training, and global collaboration in heritage conservation while CH² is will be a new platform to drive creative industries, cultural entrepreneurship, and community participation within the World Heritage Site, said Chow.
CH² will also enable entrepreneurs to explore how to improve their businesses in the world heritage sites.
Under Relic, GTWHI will be responsible in arranging programmes specifically for research and also training to improve and find more ways to preserve heritage buildings.
Relic itself will be housed in a historic building at the junction of Gat Lebuh Aceh and Lebuh Victoria.
'The building, formerly a godown, will be transformed into a dynamic centre for heritage education and learning. It will cater to schoolchildren, local residents, artisans, NGOs and heritage professionals,' he said after an event in Lebuh Aceh to celebrate Heritage Day yesterday.
CH² – a creative economy project – involves the restoration of eight shophouses near the historic mosque in Lebuh Acheh.
Some of the buildings, which were damaged in a fire several years ago, are being revived to support creative entrepreneurship and cultural enterprises.
Chow said RM11mil has been allocated for the restoration and programme development of Relic while restoration work for CH² will cost RM4mil.
Both projects are scheduled for completion in 2026.
Meanwhile, GTWHI general manager Dr Ang Ming Chee said the Relic project houses four core components: an interpretative centre, a heritage lab, a heritage materials bank and a cultural heritage embassy.
'The centre aims to offer inclusive programming for all age groups, from children to academics, while maintaining financial sustainability through fee-based access and public-private collaborations,' she said.
Ang said both initiatives reflect the state's broader commitment to sustainability and inclusive heritage development.
The long-term goal, she said, is to build a sustainable model that balances public accessibility with financial viability.
'Some programmes will be open to the public, while others may involve minimal fees, but the core focus remains: education, heritage, and building a vibrant, creative future for George Town,' she said.
At the ceremony earlier, 40 community partners received certificates of appreciation for their participation in the three-day George Town Unesco World Heritage Day celebrations.
Among the community partners were the Penang Muslim League, Malaysian-German Society, Penang Island City Council, Penang Hindu Association and Malaysian-Japanese Society.
'This year's celebration has exceeded expectations, drawing over 20,000 visitors.
'As the Historic Building Open Houses continue today, the spirit of engagement and cultural pride is as vibrant as ever,' he said before visiting Masjid Kapitan Keling.
Chow said a total of RM18.5mil has been allocated in repair incentives, benefiting 52 Category I and 323 Category II heritage buildings.
He added that GTWHI had also installed 10 AED units across the heritage zone to enhance safety in the dense urban core.