A CENTRE has been set up in Lenggong, Hulu Perak, for locals to have shared stewardship in reinforcing the sub-district’s identity as a Unesco Global Geopark.
The Lenggong Community Centre is designed for community use, providing a platform for residents, community groups, partners and visitors to engage with Lenggong’s cultural, archaeological and natural heritage.
Located at Jalan Besar in Lenggong, it was a collaboration between Think City, a wholly- owned subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional, and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM).
Refurbished in partnership with Lenggong District Council, it would be used as a shared space to support grassroots learning, training programmes, and heritage-based activities.
Think City managing director Datuk Hamdan Abdul Majeed said the work in Lenggong reflected a progression in how communities engage with their heritage.
“We’ve seen communities move from learning about their heritage to taking greater ownership of it.
“The community centre supports the next phase of this journey by giving local groups the space to sustain and build on that momentum,” he said at the launch.
The centre also formed part of the Lenggong Valley Sustainable Community Development (LVSCD) Programme, a tailored capacity- building programme initiated by Think City in 2023 with the support of Hasanah Foundation.
LVSCD focused on strengthening awareness and understanding of Lenggong’s heritage through community learning, alongside a citizen scientist component and a grants programme that supports community-led initiatives.
Hasanah Foundation trustee and managing director Siti Kamariah Ahmad Subki said sustained capacity-building was key to long-term community development in heritage landscapes.
“We believe in listening to community wisdom and co-creating solutions together and that spirit lives in this centre.
“Programmes like this show that when communities are trusted with knowledge, support and continuity, they don’t just participate; they begin to lead.
“By giving local initiatives a stable home, the centre helps real impact take root, while enabling livelihoods built around heritage that is meaningful, dignified and worth sustaining,” she added.
UTM, meanwhile, would support the activities at the centre through its role as a Geopark Research Satellite Laboratory.
This is aligned with efforts to position Lenggong as a Global Geopark Education Hub initiated by Shamsul.
Activities at the centre will include learning programmes and short courses related to geopark management, planning and conservation, complementing local knowledge and community priorities.
