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Singapore will lead a four-nation push to nominate zapin — a traditional Malay dance — for UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list, its first joint bid for a performing art.

What is a key fact in this story? (1)

**Singapore** will jointly nominate the traditional Malay dance form zapin for UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage with Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia, the National Heritage Board announced on Sep 24.

What is a key fact in this story? (2)

The four countries aim to submit the joint nomination to **UNESCO** by March 2027, with results possibly announced two to three years later; the heritage list held 716 intangible cultural heritage elements as of December 2025.

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Four nations to nominate Malay zapin dance for UNESCO — SkimNews

By Channel News Asia · Summarized & edited by Kapil Samant · 2026-09-24

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Singapore will jointly nominate the traditional Malay dance form zapin for UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage with Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia, the National Heritage Board announced on Sep 24.
The four countries aim to submit the joint nomination to UNESCO by March 2027, with results possibly announced two to three years later; the heritage list held 716 intangible cultural heritage elements as of December 2025.
Zapin, one of five Malay dance forms in Singapore, is performed at weddings and festivals with moves mimicking animals and nature; its accessible foundational steps have made it popular in schools through co-curricular activities.
Zapin Asyik, Singapore's foundational form, was created by Indonesian-born Liau Ah Choon in the 1960s after she adapted moves from a wedding in Terengganu, Malaysia, leading to local variants like Zapin Telok Blangah and Zapin Sungei Kallang.
The NHB said UNESCO evaluation will hinge on how zapin aligns with its intangible cultural heritage definition and the safeguarding measures in each of the four countries, with focus group discussions planned.
Cultural Medallion recipient Mdm Som Said, 75, said the UNESCO nomination would let the zapin community "do a lot more," while 20-year-old practitioner Mohammad Aniq Haqif said it gave him "a sense of belonging."

Why it matters: This is Singapore's first joint bid for a performing art, following successful hawker culture (2020) and kebaya (2024) listings. With the nomination file due by March 2027 and results expected two-to-three years later, practitioners across all four countries stand to benefit from international visibility and UNESCO-recognized safeguarding measures.