MELAKA: Melaka has the potential to be a research centre for culture and heritage for Southeast Asia by bringing together experts in this field, said Melaka Historic City Council (MBMB) Mayor Datuk Zainal Abu.
He said Melaka needs to establish this cultural heritage research centre as a platform to represent an international urban cultural attraction.
“In terms of preservation and conservation approach, we feel the proposal to create a cultural heritage research centre is appropriate.
“If it is in Melaka, there is no need to create again (cultural heritage research centre) in Penang. We can centralise it in Melaka, if possible,” he said.
He said this to the press after officiating at the International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) Programme Melaka City-Nouvi Circindario Imolese (NCI) Bologna here, today.
According to him, during the three-day visit by the Italian delegation, there will be engagements among city experts from Bologna and Melaka, through government-to-government dialogues, policy meetings and on-site visits, and discussions on implementing the collaboration for 2022 to 2023.
“We will also be exchanging knowledge and innovative solutions and meet with technical partners to execute projects on the ground,” he said.
He added sharing of knowledge and expertise is important as Melaka has a lot of heritage that needs to be preserved.
“Melaka is small and as a matter of fact, there is not much heritage compared to Italy. But this small and little (heritage) is what we need to preserve,” he said.
He said besides tourism, MBMB also aims to nurture the city to be more resilient and inclusive, apart from promoting low-carbon growth to remain competitive and enhance liveability for residents.
Also present were Mayor of Imola and NCI president Marco Panieri, Deputy Mayor of Metropolitan City of Bologna Gabriele Meluzzi and head of Research Innovation and EU projects Marino Cavalio. – BERNAMA
