{
  "id": 327931,
  "title": "Unesco heritage listing sought for Gendang 24 festive drums art form",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/unesco-heritage-listing-sought-for-gendang-24-festive-drums-art-form-327931",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-08T22:22:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/08/09/unesco-heritage-listing-sought-for-gendang-24-festive-drums-art-form"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Malaysian education ministry is seeking UNESCO recognition for the Gendang 24 Perayaan festive drum performance art form, aiming to ensure its preservation and development. Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh emphasized the importance of safeguarding this heritage art form for future generations. Discussions at both governmental and community levels have been held to identify strategies and changes necessary for the art form's growth. These include training teachers in the art form so they can introduce and develop it in more schools. Gendang 24 Perayaan was established in Malaysia in 1988 by cultural figures Tan Hooi Song and Tan Chai Puan. It was recognized as an intangible national heritage in 2009. Currently, the art form has evolved from a few school teams to hundreds of schools nationwide, becoming intrinsically linked with Malaysian culture.",
  "summary": "Deputy education minister Wong Kah Woh said the ministry's initiative was to ensure that the heritage art form continues to be preserved, developed and introduced to younger generations.",
  "key_points": [
    "Malaysian education ministry seeks UNESCO recognition for Gendang 24 Perayaan.",
    "Art form established in Malaysia in 1988 by Tan Hooi Song and Tan Chai Puan.",
    "Gendang 24 Perayaan linked with Malaysian culture nationwide."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Unesco heritage listing sought for Gendang 24 festive drums art form",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/unesco-heritage-listing-sought-for-gendang-24-festive-drums-art-form",
        "published": "2026-08-08T22:22:06.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}