My dear Singaporeans, I’ve got big news! Malaysia and Singapore have officially submitted a joint nomination to inscribe “Chingay: a street parade that showcases multiculturalism, traditions, and artistic displays of communities”, onto the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Humanity.
If it gets the green light, this will be Singapore’s third entry on the prestigious list – and the second time we’ve teamed up with our neighbours across the Causeway for a multinational nomination. Not too shabby, eh?
Chingay’s UNESCO Nomination
Here in Singapore, this UNESCO push didn’t just happen overnight. The National Heritage Board (NHB) and the People’s Association (PA) worked closely with community groups, volunteers, choreographers, dancers, and other art collectives for eight months! Around 90 passionate Chingay folks took part in focus group chats, sharing stories, ideas, and plans to keep Chingay thriving for years to come.
To rally the rest of us, NHB and PA came out with a dedicated microsite for the public to show support – over 2,000 heartfelt messages have poured in so far! Not to mention a #ChingaySG social media wave with over 5,500 posts celebrating personal Chingay moments. What’s more, over 30,000 handwritten support cards have come in. That’s a lot of love!
Keeping Chingay alive means passing it on – and Singapore’s already on it. Two joint workshops were held – one in Singapore and one in Johor Bahru – where communities from both sides came together to share their experiences and brainstorm ways to protect and promote Chingay.
In addition, community engagement programmes like the PAssionArts x Chingay Community Floats saw people across the island co-create floats for Chingay 2025. And the Chingay National Education Assembly Programme continues to bring the magic of Chingay to primary and secondary schools – I’m sure this was a core memory for many of us!
What’s next, you ask? Even more Chingay fun coming your way! Plans are in the works for island-wide Chingay roadshows across 30+ locations, a colourful Chingay book for preschoolers (with reading sessions, too!), a travelling Chingay Education Truck to bring the parade to your doorstep, and a stamp design competition to get creative juices flowing
“We hope that such nominations and efforts continue to deepen pride in our multicultural living heritage, enabling them to remain relevant to Singaporeans across generations,” shared Ms Chang Hwee Nee, CEO of the NHB.
What Happens Now?
UNESCO will review the nomination file submitted by Singapore and Malaysia based on five criteria, including how Chingay fits the definition of intangible cultural heritage, the impact it has on awareness and sustainability, the safeguarding measures in place, and of course, the role of community involvement.
After processing the file, the secretariat will inform States Parties when the results will be announced. Fingers crossed!
In the meantime, follow the Chingay Parade’s socials on Instagram and Facebook to keep up with their latest updates.
Photos By Russell Loh of the DANAMIC Team. Additional Visuals Courtesy of the People’s Association Singapore.
