Overview of Penang Story
Vision and milestones:
The Penang Story is an open platform for people who are interested in Penang to contribute towards “deepening” the story of Penang. The mission is to bring together people, place and knowledge to celebrate cultural diversity, to strengthen a sense of belonging, to enhance Penang’s place-identity and to nurture Malaysia’s creative economy. The story of this regional port reaches across borders to individuals and communities with historical links to Penang.
2001: The Penang Story initiative was spearheaded by Penang Heritage Trust with a grant from The Japan Foundation, and jointly organized by Star Publications with the support of various stakeholders.
2002: The Penang Story Conference brought together 60 local and international scholars, encouraged networking between old and new scholars, and helped strengthen the city’s justification for World Heritage listing.
2008: The Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca, comprising George Town and Melaka, were jointly listed as a World Heritage Site for its Outstanding Universal Values – historical diversity, multicultural communities and built heritage.
2010 to present: The Penang Story Lectures, jointly organised by Penang Heritage Trust and Think City, promotes Penang’s role in regional and global history.
The Organiser
The Penang Heritage Trust (PHT) is a non-profit non-government organization (NGO) established in Penang in 1986. Since its inception, the Trust has been committed to the vision of preserving Penang’s heritage for future generations. PHT played a pivotal role in the nomination of George Town to UNESCO World Heritage status.
The Joint Organiser
THINK CITY Sdn BHD (TCSB) is a subsidiary of KhazanahNasionalBerhad, the investment arm of the Malaysian government, and an urban regeneration agency operating in the historic city of George Town. It manages the George Town Grants Programme (GTGP), which is a public grants programme designed to protect and preserve George Town’s Outstanding Universal Values.
Long-term Partners:
George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI)
University Sains Malaysia
Centre for Policy Research (CPR) & Centre for International Studies, USM (CenPRIS)
Wawasan Open University (WOU)