Aug 14, 2008

World Heritage Site: Penang

I'm a little slow on the uptake, but Penang has been officially listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site during the 32nd session of UNESCO summit on 8 July. This status ranks Penang on par with other heritage of historical and cultural value / human civilization with world monuments such as the Egyptian pyramids and the Taj Mahal. It is indeed an honor for Penang and its citizens to be recognized as a historical city of the Straits Settlements, a contribution to the foundation of the unique Baba Nyonya culture.

Celebration banners everywhere in Georgetown - in Malay

Tamil, in front of he Indo-China Trading Company, one of the earliest and most prominent trade merchants of Penang

in English, in front of the Liu, Guan, Zhang and Zhao family temple - a symbolic union of the surnames forged when Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun swore to the moon "to die on the same day" as brothers

and not forgetting Chinese - just opposite the Eu Yan Sang medical hall

Malacca and Georgetown - historical cities of the Straits Settlements

Endangered trades - a songkok maker, insisting on only hand-made songkoks, in King Street

A signboard engraver and his trade for over 60 years

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

very cool.

Anonymous said...

Gomen kudasai.