Joint nomination of Chingay onto the UNESCO representative list of ICH

Joint nomination for the inscription Of Chingay onto the UNESCO representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Of Humanity

                Malaysia and Singapore will be jointly nominating “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 in end March 2025. This would mark Singapore’s third UNESCO nomination to the Representative List, and second multinational nomination to the same List¹.

2            The nomination was decided jointly by Singapore and Malaysia, as there are Chingay-practising communities in Singapore, Penang and Johor. Chingay reflects the shared heritage of both countries, celebrates our connected cultures, and continues to be actively practised in both countries today. This joint nomination commemorates the 60^th bilateral anniversary between Singapore and Malaysia in 2025, and presents an opportunity for Singapore and Malaysia to promote cross-cultural exchanges and collaborations.

3            During the National Heritage Board’s (NHB) consultations with the public from 2021 to 2022², Chingay, organised by the People’s Association, was the top ICH element selected by Singaporeans for future UNESCO ICH nominations because of its multicultural nature and familiarity to Singaporeans. The engagements also revealed that Singaporeans recognised that UNESCO ICH inscriptions helped promote Singapore’s culture to the world and deepened a sense of pride, identity and belonging to Singapore.

4            Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth said, “It is meaningful that the joint nomination of Chingay onto the UNESCO Representative List of ICH in March 2025 would be part of the commemorations marking the 60th anniversary of Singapore-Malaysia bilateral relations. Chingay Parade, as practised in Singapore, reflects our multicultural and diverse society. I hope more Singaporeans will support and attend the Parade in the coming year, as 2025 also marks our 60th National Day.”

5            Ms Chang Hwee Nee, Chief Executive Officer of NHB, Singapore, said, “Chingay is still a thriving practice after close to five decades. This is a testament to its adaptability as living heritage, and the dedication and resourcefulness of its practitioners to pass down the knowledge and skills to the next generation. We have embarked on this joint nomination to celebrate _Chingay'_s importance as living heritage, as part of our continued commitment to promoting and raising awareness of Singapore’s shared multicultural heritage for future generations, and bridging communities between the two countries through the Chingay.”

6            Mr Jimmy Toh, Chief Executive Director of the People’s Association (PA), Singapore, said, “In Singapore, many Singaporeans grew up experiencing Chingay as an annual tradition on joy and jubilation, some as spectators, others as performers, artists or volunteers. Chingay is more than just a parade; it is a cherished celebration that unites Singaporeans across diverse ethnic communities. This joint nomination with Malaysia showcases the vibrant multiculturalism of our societies and highlights how Chingay continues to unite communities in a shared celebration of our rich heritage. In the journey to jointly inscribe Chingay on the UNESCO Representative List, we aim to honour the many individuals and groups, both past and present, who have been involved in keeping this form of intangible cultural heritage, alive."

7          Malaysia and Singapore aim to submit the nomination file to UNESCO in March 2025, and the result is expected to be announced in end 2026.

Shared History and Significance of Chingay

8            Chingay represents a significant part of Singapore and Malaysia’s shared cultural histories, and remains actively practised in both countries. Chingay is deeply rooted in Singapore’s history. Initially organised for religious festivals, it has evolved and grown to become a significant community-centred event in the socio-cultural calendar, reflecting the dynamism of Singapore’s multiculturalism, traditions as well as visual and performing arts. Today, it is commemorated through an engaging parade that is renowned for its dazzling and characteristic floats, intricate props and cultural performances from diverse cultural and ethnic communities. These require specific skills and knowledge which are passed down from the senior to younger practitioners, and between cultural communities. In addition, the annual parade involves multiple communities of all ages and backgrounds, such as local practitioners and artists from a wide range of performing art forms, community groups and interest groups; community volunteers; as well as international participants which facilitate cross-cultural exchanges.

9          As a form of ICH, or living heritage, Chingay is constantly adapting and evolving over time, incorporating modern elements and new technology to reach out to new audiences. For instance, more recent editions of Chingay made use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) effects and interactive floor projections to present traditional art forms, which had greater appeal to younger audiences while retaining the essence of the art form.

10          Chingay is also practised as important cultural events, in the Malaysian cities of Johor Bahru and Penang[3]. In Johor Bahru, it is organised by Johor Bahru Tionghua Association and held annually at the Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple on the 21st day of the first month of the Lunar New Year since 1870, featuring creative floats and traditional performances from both Chinese and non-Chinese groups. In Penang, it is organised as a multicultural and secular performance by Penang Chingay Association in the Georgetown historical area, involving both local and overseas performers and communities.

11        The joint nomination underscores the significance of Chingay as a unifying celebration of shared history and culture, and celebrates its cultural richness while appreciating the diverse practices observed in both countries.

Support of Singaporeans required for successful nomination

12        UNESCO will evaluate the nomination file collectively submitted by the participating countries, and focus on aspects such as:

●        How the nominated element is aligned with UNESCO’s definition of intangible cultural heritage;

●        How the existing and future safeguarding measures in each of the participating countries ensure the promotion and transmission of the practice; and

●        How the nomination effort has involved the participation of the community (or communities) in each of the participating countries.

13          NHB and PA will be steering the nomination in Singapore. As part of continued public engagement efforts, NHB and PA have held three focus group discussions in August and September 2024 to seek consent and support from key Chingay stakeholders for the joint nomination, as well as their views on Chingay and the nomination. These focus group discussions were attended by a total of 180 participants comprising stakeholders such as practitioners and representatives from cultural associations who have been participating in and organising the Chingay Parade, and many participants had expressed their support.

14        Beyond the preparation of the nomination file, NHB and PA will coordinate Chingay community engagement programmes to raise awareness of the joint nomination. These engagement programmes include the PAssionArts x Chingay Community Floats in end October 2024 where the public can participate in co-creating the floats for Chingay 2025.  The Chingay National Education Assembly Programme will continue to be held in Primary and Secondary schools in Singapore to introduce Chingay to students. The awareness campaign will continue into 2025 at the Chingay National Education (NE) Show, Chingay Parade 2025 and Chingay@Heartlands 2025 celebrations.  

15        Through these efforts, it is hoped that there will be a greater appreciation of Chingay, and awareness of the nomination effort. The feedback and support from Singaporeans have been crucial in shaping the nominations for UNESCO recognition, and members of the public and interested community groups are encouraged to participate in the preparation for the nomination, and in safeguarding and celebrating Singapore's diverse ICH. More details on the public outreach initiatives will be shared on PA’s website on Chingay (https://www.chingay.gov.sg) and NHB’s and PA’s social media channels (NHB: Facebook @NationalHeritageBoardSG and Instagram @nhbsg; PA’s Chingay: Facebook @ChingayParadeSG, Instagram @chingayparadesg and Tiktok:  @chingayparadesg) at a later date.

Contribute to the joint nomination by Singapore and Malaysia to the UNESCO Representative List.

¹ Singapore’s first UNESCO nomination to the Representative List of the ICH of Humanity is Hawker Culture, a single-country nomination which was successfully inscribed in 2020. Singapore’s second UNESCO nomination is kebaya which was jointly nominated with Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. The results are expected to be announced in December 2024.

² NHB conducted a public engagement survey between August – October 2022 to determine ICH elements suitable for Singapore’s next nomination. The survey followed a series of Focus Group Discussionss held between June 2021 – January 2022 with close to 170 participants where a shortlist of 10 ICH elements were chosen by the participants.

³ The following are a selection of online sources of how Chingay practised in the cities of Johor Bahru and Penang, Malaysia.
a. Chingay listed on Malaysia’s ICH Inventory https://www.heritage.gov.my/en/chingay.html
b. Chingay in Johor Bahru
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/02/10/jb-chingay-festival-expected-to-draw-300000-visitors-says-association-chief
c. Chingay in Penang
https://youtu.be/iZ5_2wGy5vw?si=z0wb-nw53nFkVZnH
https://www.buletinmutiara.com/spectacular-chingay-parade-draws-enthusiastic-crowds/