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Kebaya

MULTINATIONAL NOMINATION FOR THE INSCRIPTION OF KEBAYA ONTO THE UNESCO REPRESENTATIVE LIST OF THE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF HUMANITY

NHB Kebaya UNESCO Campaign 

Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand have jointly submitted the multinational nomination to inscribe “Kebaya: Knowledge, Skills, Traditions and Practices” on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Humanity in end March 2023. The five countries agreed to work together on a multinational nomination for the first time, to celebrate kebaya as a form of shared history in the region, and an ICH element that transcends ethnicity and religion, facilitates dialogues and unites Southeast Asian communities. Kebaya continues to be actively produced and worn by many communities today, and the nomination is an opportunity to promote cross-cultural understanding amongst different communities in the region.

The nomination file submitted to UNESCO includes:

  • the official nomination form; 
  • a set of 15 photos representing how kebaya is practiced and safeguarded in the participating countries; 
  • letters of consent and support from community representatives from all the participating countries; 
  • a video featuring the consent and support for the nomination by kebaya community members from all the participating countries
  • a 10-minute Multinational Nomination of Kebaya video to provide the Evaluation Body and the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the ICH, which will be assessing our submission, a better understanding of how kebaya is practised and safeguarded in the participating countries.

UNESCO will evaluate the nomination file collectively submitted by all five participating countries and a decision on the nomination will be reached in end 2024.

To find out more about the multinational nomination of kebaya, watch the official 10-minute Multinational Nomination of Kebaya video and Video of Consent.

Multinational Nomination of Kebaya

Video of Consent


#WeHeartKebaya

NHB Kebaya Giveaway

NHB held a giveaway contest to encourage users to post on their Instagram or Facebook accounts using the hashtag, #WeHeartKebaya, and share their stories behind their kebaya and what it means to them. These entries are part of the public support for the nomination of the kebaya into UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

With over 200 stories shared so far, it’s true that #WeHeartKebaya.


FIND OUT MORE ABOUT KEBAYA

Find out more about kebaya in NHB’s national inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

 Kebaya on Roots

More details on the multinational nomination are available in the media release.