MELAKA — The need for cultural definitions that reflect eastern heritage values, the use of artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies in the heritage sector, and concerns over the negative impact of over-tourism were among hot topics at the recent International Workshop on the Melaka Declaration on Cultural Heritage Value Creation.
Speaking at the workshop, former Tourism, Arts, and Culture secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Ong Hong Peng said heritage value creation is a key driver to maximise economic and social benefits for local communities.
It is a low-hanging fruit initiative with high impact, which enhances the value-add of existing cultural heritage assets, he said, adding that as a result, it reaps economic returns in terms of higher income and employment generation.
Consultation at the workshop explored the potential acceleration of flagship programmes and initiatives in the region, including cultural entrepreneurship programmes, product development, digital heritage, living cultural heritage and creative cluster development programmes, community-based cultural projects, public-private partnerships, best practice exchanges, and capacity building.
The two-day workshop on July 23 and 24 was held in the Unesco World Heritage City of Melaka and hosted by the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (Motac), in its leadership role within the Asean Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) pillar, together with strategic partners, Think City and Telekom Malaysia Berhad.
The focus was to unlock heritage-led development opportunities across Asean and promote appreciation for ASEAN’s shared heritage.
Motac International Relations Division (Culture) undersecretary Dr Christina Yeo said inputs and recommendations from the workshop will contribute to the fundamentals of the Melaka Declaration on the Cultural Heritage Value Creation.
“This document will be further consulted and circulated amongst all the Asean member states at different platforms before being adopted at the 47th Asean Summit in October 2025,” she said.
Among key points raised during presentations and discussions was the need for Asean countries to distinguish themselves from narrow and limiting Euro-centric and Anglo-American definitions of heritage, which define cultural values in ways that may not truly represent Asean cultural values.
Workshop keynote speaker, journalist, and founder of Pusaka, a Unesco-accredited cultural organisation, Eddin Khoo said: “The concepts of plurality and diversity, for instance, are very limiting as there is a certain chaos and wildness in Asean nations that involves multiplicity of voices and narratives.”
“The challenge at hand is how we can capture these as cultural experiences in an accurate manner, and we need to embrace the idea that history cannot be rewritten to suit narratives in doing so,” he said.
“Similarly, the Western-centric principles on sustainability and environment, social, and governance (ESG) may not be suited to the local climate and environments in Asean,” he added.
The negative social and environmental impact of over-tourism was among the dominant subjects that took centre stage, including concerns over the loss of cultural authenticity in the pursuit of economic gains.
This was in addition to focus on fair distribution of economic benefits, inclusive and accurate site interpretations, and prior informed consent and engagement of participating communities.
Participants also explored the use of AI, AR, and VR technologies for storytelling, archiving, and recording tangible and intangible heritage.
“Upon agreement and adoption, strategies to address the relevant issue and challenges in the value creation aspect of our regional and national cultural heritage will be put in place according to the declaration spirit for reference,” Yeo said.
This two-day international gathering brought together over 100 participants, including cultural experts, academics, creative economy leaders, representatives from ASEAN Member States, Somca (Senior Officials Meeting on Culture and Arts), and stakeholders to explore transformative approaches in heritage conservation and value creation. — August 3, 2025
The post Asean looks to cultural heritage to drive innovation, inclusive growth appeared first on Scoop.
