Where heritage comes alive

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, September 27, 2026

Kuching, Malaysia, will host the 22nd Icomos General Assembly and Scientific Symposium in October 2026, marking the first time the event is held in Southeast Asia and attracting over 1,500 heritage experts globally. The symposium seeks to expand heritage conservation by incorporating diverse, living cultural traditions and addressing challenges faced by sites in conflict zones, with aims to establish new global preservation frameworks.

Kuching, the capital of Malaysia’s Sarawak state, is set to host the 22nd International Council on Monuments and Sites (Icomos) General Assembly and Scientific Symposium (GA2026) from October 17 to 24. This marks the first time Malaysia, and indeed any Southeast Asian country, will hold the prestigious global meeting, which is expected to attract more than 1,500 heritage experts and scholars from over 130 countries.

Organized by Icomos Malaysia, GA2026 will take place at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching and coincide with the 80th anniversary of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The weeklong event includes public dialogues, heritage exhibitions, conservation workshops, youth and community engagement activities, and heritage trails throughout Kuching and other parts of Sarawak.

Faisal Abd Rahman, president of Icomos Malaysia, emphasized that the symposium aims to promote a broader understanding of heritage—one that extends beyond traditional monuments and archaeological sites. “Heritage is not dead,” he said, arguing that each generation continuously recreates and reshapes cultural heritage. This evolving concept of living heritage underpins Icomos Malaysia’s goal of issuing a “Kuching Declaration” at GA2026, intended to spur new global approaches to heritage conservation.

Kuching itself is rich in cultural significance, having recently received recognition as a UNESCO Global Geopark and a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. These designations reflect the city’s unique geographical features and diverse culinary traditions. Throughout the event, the Sarawak Museum Department will host related activities including Night at the Museum programs, local gastronomy showcases, museum talks, and heritage walks.

The symposium will also feature presentations from international organizations such as the Getty Foundation and the Singapore National Heritage Board, highlighting digital heritage initiatives and conservation efforts. Local heritage groups like Badan Warisan Malaysia will participate as well. Icomos, which advises UNESCO on heritage conservation, will use the gathering to spotlight World Heritage Sites and those on UNESCO’s tentative list, representing potential future nominations.

A focus of GA2026 will be the inclusion of voices from heritage experts working in conflict zones, including delegates from Iran and Gaza. Discussions will address the challenges of protecting cultural sites amid ongoing global conflicts and disasters.

Faisal noted that heritage conservation has historically been dominated by Western frameworks, exemplified by the 1964 Venice Charter that largely prioritized tangible global heritage such as stone and metal monuments. He pointed out that intangible cultural heritage and non-Western heritage forms, particularly wooden architectural traditions found in Asia, have often been overlooked. He cited Sarawak’s wooden forts as examples of significant heritage that defies the traditional Western preservation model due to the fragile nature of wood over centuries.

By bringing these perspectives to an international stage, GA2026 aims to broaden the dialogue on cultural preservation, potentially redefining standards to reflect diverse global traditions and safeguard living heritage worldwide.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.