BMMelaka will host a three-day Cultural Exchange Festival from 31 October to 2 November 2026 in Banda Hilir. The programme is titled “Celebrating Cross-Cultural Heritage”. It is organised by the National Heritage Department, with the Melaka Tourism Promotion Division involved. Melaka is providing the logistics and venues. The festival adds to the calendar of Malaysia-China cultural exchange and wider ASEAN heritage cooperation.
According to Bernama, the programme includes seminars, talks, conventions, exhibitions, cultural performances and food. Venues include the People’s Museum, the Malay and Islamic World Museum and the grounds of the Malacca Malay Sultanate Palace Museum. The main highlight is the opening ceremony and Cross-Cultural Heritage Parade on 31 October. Participants will come from Malaysian states and ASEAN countries such as Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand. The final number of participants had not been confirmed.
The performances planned include Mak Yong, a traditional form recognised as intangible heritage. Lion and dragon dances from China are also planned. Placing them in the same programme shows how Melaka’s long history as a trading port still shapes Malaysian culture today. Melaka’s tourism promotion general manager, Nasrul Ahmad, said the programmes could help enliven the state’s tourism activities and benefit local traders.
For the Malaysia-China Culture and Education Association (MCCEA), the festival is a practical example of how heritage can connect communities. Cultural exchange works best when people meet, perform and share food together, not only when officials sign agreements. Events like this also strengthen the foundation for Malaysia-China relations at the community level.
The same logic applies to education. Malaysia-China education cooperation, including TVET Malaysia China partnerships, depends on mutual understanding. Skills training and cultural literacy go together, because graduates who work across borders need both technical ability and respect for different traditions.
We encourage educators, students and community groups to follow the festival and take part where possible. Melaka’s example shows that heritage can be a bridge for ASEAN cooperation as well as a tourism product.
Source: Bernama, report on the Cultural Exchange Festival in Melaka.
中文摘要
马六甲将于2026年10月31日至11月2日在班达希里（Banda Hilir）举办为期三天的文化交流节，主题为”庆祝跨文化遗产”，由国家文化遗产局主办。节目包括研讨会、展览、文化表演和美食，开幕式与跨文化遗产巡游将于10月31日举行，参与者来自马来西亚各州及印尼、新加坡、泰国等东盟国家。表演内容包括被列为非物质文化遗产的玛雍舞剧，以及来自中国的舞狮和舞龙。此类活动有助于深化马中文化与民间交流，也为马中教育和马中技职教育合作奠定相互理解的基础。马中文化教育协会将持续关注并推动相关交流。
About MCCEA: Malaysia-China Culture and Education Association (MCCEA), Registration No. PPM-034-10-08072025, is dedicated to advancing cooperation between Malaysia and China in culture, education and TVET, with ASEAN and the international community in view. Website: www.mccea.org.my
