Historical buildings, associations in Penang open their doors
PART of the George Town Heritage Celebrations (GTHC) were the George Town Heritage Walk and Historic Building Open House.
The walk took place early on Sunday, the second day of the celebrations, and saw around 2,000 participants flagged off from Beach Street before they took a 5km stroll around the city.
The route went past some of the city's most iconic landmarks including Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower, Goddess of Mercy Temple, Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, Kapitan Keling Mosque, Komtar, Sia Boey Urban Archaeological Park and Beach Street Central Fire Station.
The Historic Building Open House was held on Monday to mark Heritage Day in Penang and had eight venues opening their doors to the public.
Chow (second from left) joining children in a game of 'congkak'.
A steady stream of visitors stopped by George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI) to learn about its heritage conservation efforts, before proceeding to the nearby Masjid Melayu Lebuh Acheh.
Among them was Sarinande Mansor, who took the ferry from Seberang Jaya on Penang mainland for the event.
'Some of these buildings are not usually open to visitors, so it was a rare opportunity to visit, see their architecture and learn about their histories.
'The past can teach us a lot and I intend to visit all eight venues if time permits.'
The other six were Kwangtung and Tengchow Association, Makam Dato Koyah, Nam Hooi Wooi Koon, St George's Church, Sun Wui Wui Koon and Thai Pak Koong (Ng Suk) Temple.
Participants being flagged off from Beach Street during the 5km George Town Heritage Walk as part of GTHC 2025.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said GTHC reflected the state government's desire for a community-driven approach to heritage conservation.
'Heritage is more than the preservation of buildings. It's about the people, memory, identity and shared purpose.
'Through storytelling, music, crafts, food and exhibitions, we've shown that George Town is not only a heritage site but a thriving, living heritage community.
'The people are the living bridge between the city's rich history and its bright future,' he said prior to touring the open houses together with other state leaders.
Reflecting on another successful celebration, GTWHI general manager Dr Ang Ming Chee said it had been a constant journey of growth.
(GTWHI acts as site manager for George Town Unesco World Heritage Site).
'We focused on capacity building this year. We hope to better connect our world with visitors and build new narratives,' she said.
'We chose the theme 'Doors and Doorways' to reflect this transition.
'More than just entrances, doors served as passages to discover stories, aspirations and values that define the lifeway of communities in George Town.
'Big journeys start from small steps and I'm sure we're together on the right path as shared custodians of the city,' she said, expressing her gratitude to the 40 community partners and over 800 team members and volunteers.
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Historical buildings, associations in Penang open their doors
Chow (second from left) joining children in a game of 'congkak'. PART of the George Town Heritage Celebrations (GTHC) were the George Town Heritage Walk and Historic Building Open House. The walk took place early on Sunday, the second day of the celebrations, and saw around 2,000 participants flagged off from Beach Street before they took a 5km stroll around the city. The route went past some of the city's most iconic landmarks including Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower, Goddess of Mercy Temple, Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, Kapitan Keling Mosque, Komtar, Sia Boey Urban Archaeological Park and Beach Street Central Fire Station. The Historic Building Open House was held on Monday to mark Heritage Day in Penang and had eight venues opening their doors to the public. Chow (second from left) joining children in a game of 'congkak'. A steady stream of visitors stopped by George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI) to learn about its heritage conservation efforts, before proceeding to the nearby Masjid Melayu Lebuh Acheh. Among them was Sarinande Mansor, who took the ferry from Seberang Jaya on Penang mainland for the event. 'Some of these buildings are not usually open to visitors, so it was a rare opportunity to visit, see their architecture and learn about their histories. 'The past can teach us a lot and I intend to visit all eight venues if time permits.' The other six were Kwangtung and Tengchow Association, Makam Dato Koyah, Nam Hooi Wooi Koon, St George's Church, Sun Wui Wui Koon and Thai Pak Koong (Ng Suk) Temple. Participants being flagged off from Beach Street during the 5km George Town Heritage Walk as part of GTHC 2025. Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said GTHC reflected the state government's desire for a community-driven approach to heritage conservation. 'Heritage is more than the preservation of buildings. It's about the people, memory, identity and shared purpose. 'Through storytelling, music, crafts, food and exhibitions, we've shown that George Town is not only a heritage site but a thriving, living heritage community. 'The people are the living bridge between the city's rich history and its bright future,' he said prior to touring the open houses together with other state leaders. Reflecting on another successful celebration, GTWHI general manager Dr Ang Ming Chee said it had been a constant journey of growth. (GTWHI acts as site manager for George Town Unesco World Heritage Site). 'We focused on capacity building this year. We hope to better connect our world with visitors and build new narratives,' she said. 'We chose the theme 'Doors and Doorways' to reflect this transition. 'More than just entrances, doors served as passages to discover stories, aspirations and values that define the lifeway of communities in George Town. 'Big journeys start from small steps and I'm sure we're together on the right path as shared custodians of the city,' she said, expressing her gratitude to the 40 community partners and over 800 team members and volunteers.
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Immersive display of culture in George Town
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Among those enjoying the occasion was Frenchwoman Laura Bertal, who was spotted learning joget from State Chinese (Penang) Association members. Bertal made the hop over from Singapore where she is studying and was randomly exploring the city when she heard music and decided to find out what it was. 'I love cultural events as it allows me to learn about a country's traditions and history. Visitors learning Hakka with the Penang Hakka Association. 'The women look beautiful in their traditional costumes and I was surprised how easy it is to get a hang of the steps,' she said. Spanish couple Nuria Ayala and Manuel Fernandez, also chose an opportune time to stop by Penang during their three-week-long vacation around Malaysia. They tried the Chinese rubbing art craft workshop hosted by Thai Pak Koong (Ng Suk) Temple. Ayala said she enjoyed the interactive activities as it allowed them to take home hand-made craft as souvenirs. 'It made learning about tradition fun and engaging. We were really impressed by Penang's mix of cultures.' Penang residents Yeoh Han Lim and Poh Boon Yen brought their children Yubum and Yuying to the event so they could learn more about Malaysia's diverse communities. The family tried making pottery at a station run by Penang Hindu Association. Poh, who runs an e-commerce business, said such events were also a good opportunity to get children away from their screens and to make things with their hands. 'My son enjoyed it so much that he didn't want to stop until he completed sculpting his pot. 'At this event, we found unique aspects of different cultures all in one location,' Poh said. GTHC was first held in 2009 to mark the anniversary of the city's joint inscription with Melaka as a Unesco World Heritage site a year earlier. The annual event is organised by George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI). The Penang Eurasian Association group, including Geraldine (in purple) teaching attendees steps of the Portuguese Dance at the Cheah Kongsi -- courtesy pic. Proud to share their culture Most of the Cultural Workshop stations were at Armenian Park, Armenian Street, Acheh Street and Cannon Street. Others were found in the compounds of Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi, Seh Tek Tong Cheah Kongsi, Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple and Masjid Melayu Lebuh Acheh. Members of the participating communities relished the opportunity to share elements of their culture with the masses. Penang Hindu Association vice-president Dr S. Balasubramaniam said they wanted to revive the popularity of time-honoured crafts like pottery that went back millennia. 'Clay pots have long been a part of family kitchens. 'Before the advent of refrigeration or modern metal containers, these were what people stored water or ingredients in. 'The pots keep things cool naturally, have no lead content and are safe to use,' he said. 'They are just as versatile and relevant for modern life.' Pottery was also celebrated at Gujarati Samaj Penang's booth, which allowed visitors to decorate their own earthen pots – known as matli – while delving into its cultural significance. Association president Daksha Shashikant said despite being a household item, the matli was often used as a decorative element during festivals. 'Women used to spend a lot of time decorating the matli. 'It was a communal activity that brought people together and it remains a cherished part of Gujarati culture,' Daksha said. Persatuan Warisan Dato Koyah secretary-general Adam Malik Shahul Hamid reminisced about the time when kite-flying used to be a favourite pastime among teenagers. 'It was an activity that united all races. Children from different neighbourhoods, without seeing each other, would send their kites up to meet in the skies. 'Some even engaged in 'kite fighting' where they would try to cut down each other's kites using the strings. 'Once one side succeeded, the race was on to claim the fallen kite as a prize. 'We hope modern generations will enjoy such outdoor activities again,' he said while overseeing a kite-making workshop. Many visitors took turns colouring 3m-long sheets of batik under the guidance of Warisan Balik Pulau volunteers. The sheets had wax outlines done by individuals with disabilities from the area, according to Air Putih Community-Based Rehabilitation Centre (PPDK) supervisor Nadirah Darus. 'Batik is deeply intertwined with the nation's cultural and artistic heritage. Its appeal is timeless. 'We've had visitors of various backgrounds adding their touches to pieces here. 'Finished sheets will be exhibited at next year's event, a testament to the handiwork of a whole community,' Nadirah said. At the Penang Hokkien Association youth section booth, crowds had fun learning the phonetics of Hokkien with the help of flash cards. Section chairman Yew Yung Shen said they wanted to make Hokkien appealing to younger generations of the Chinese community who were increasingly speaking Mandarin only. 'Some parties fear that Penang Hokkien will die out within several decades if usage continues to decline. 'It is important to revitalise the language because it has been part of Penang's history,' added Yew. Spectators turn dancers At Cheah Kongsi, a giant stage allowed spectators to join in the line-up of dances put on by various groups. This included the Portuguese dance by Penang Eurasian Association, whose president Peter Pedley said members were touched by the warm reception they received. Youngest among the eight-member group was Charlotte Eliza de Almeida who stole spectators' hearts with her graceful moves. 'I enjoyed dancing but was a little nervous,' she said. Also in the entourage was Peter's sister, Geraldine, who lives in Manchester, England, but was roped in to join the performance during her visit. 'The atmosphere was joyful and I'm delighted to have been a part of it,' said Geraldine. There was also a mahnora dance performance by Persatuan Masyarakat Siam Pulau Pinang and Bon Giri Renka: Bon Festival Love Song showcased by Malaysian-Japanese Society, while Penang Telugu Bidalu organisation performed the daathubhajana chirathalaata folk dance. Tualang, ronggeng and joget were rendered by a troupe from the Penang branch of the National Department for Culture and Arts, while bhangra numbers were put on by Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia. Visitors also had the opportunity to try Nanyang Childhood Games like congkak, seven stones, sepak takraw and shuttlecock kicking. Community roots Among the other workshops were a Chingay parade by the Penang Chingay Association, a trishaw-themed giant board game by Luma and paper-cutting by Lum Yeong Tong Yap Temple. Pertubuhan Kebajikan Ayyappan Batu Uban Pulau Pinang highlighted the Sabarimala pilgrimage while Central Muslim Society celebrated the Kadayanallur Tenkasi community's roots in George Town through spice grinding. At the Malaysian-German Society booth, visitors made paper models of German-influenced buildings. Over at Badan Warisan Masjid Melayu Lebuh Acheh, there was a heritage writing workshop. Tourists trying their hand at making pottery during an activity at the 17th edition of George Town Heritage Celebrations. The Penang Hakka Association acquainted visitors with basic words and phrases, while The Pink Hibiscus Club taught the visitors to make origami and floral decorations. Persatuan Wadda Gurdwara Sahib Penang spotlighted traditional clothing, with North Malaysia Malayali Samajam doing the same while sweetening the deal with delicacies. Penang Hidden Gems hosted a Nanyang coffee workshop, alongside Spice and Curry Production House which delved into the art of making briyani. Gabungan Persatuan India Muslim Pulau Pinang emphasised the significance of the community's cuisine, as did the Nattukottai Nagarathar Heritage Society.
