By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Dec 4: Sarawak and Baguio City, Philippines, both members of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Creative Cities Network (UCCN), have taken significant steps to enhance collaboration in the creative industry and smart city development.
Sarawak’s Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts (MTCP) Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah led a delegation to meet Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Banez Magalong yesterday (Dec 3).
The courtesy visit coincided with the World Ikat Textiles Symposium (WITS), where the potential collaboration in crafts, creative industries, and tourism was a key focus.
Kuching and Baguio City both share unique identities under UCCN—Kuching as a city of gastronomy and Baguio City as a city of folk arts and crafts. This shared recognition highlights their commitment to preserving cultural heritage while promoting sustainable urban development through creativity and innovation.
Baguio City is a pioneer in the Philippines as the first and only city to achieve Smart City status, utilising advanced technology to improve urban management and quality of life. Similarly, Kuching earned its Smart City status in 2023, aligning with Sarawak’s Post-Covid Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.
During the visit, the Sarawak delegation explored Narda’s Handwoven Warts and Crafts at the Winaca Craft Village near Baguio City.
Narda’s empowers Cordilleran Indigenous artisans to preserve traditional weaving techniques while promoting eco-friendly practices using natural dyes and materials. The artisans’ innovative blending of traditional motifs with modern designs served as a model for sustainability and market adaptability.
This collaboration could pave the way for knowledge exchange, capacity-building programmes, and expanded market access for artisans in Sarawak and Baguio City.
By working together, both regions aim to enhance the economic prospects of their traditional crafts while preserving their rich cultural heritage.
Also present were the Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines, Dato Abdul Malik, Deputy Minister of MTCP Datuk Snowdan Lawan and Permanent Secretary of MTCP Datu Sherrina Hussaini. –DayakDaily
