LENGGONG: The tourism community in Lenggong Valley is making final preparations to welcome about 200 international delegates from the Southeast Asia-Pacific Audiovisual Archive Association (SEAPAVAA) on June 11.
Organised in collaboration with the National Archives of Malaysia, the one-day visit will bring together alumni and archival experts from various countries, including the United States and across the Asia-Pacific region, to explore Lenggong Valley’s unique historical, cultural and archaeological heritage.
Lenggong Geopark tour guide Nor Hashimah Zainal Abidin said the visit would serve as an important avenue for introducing locally developed community- based tourism products to the international community.
“We see this visit as an important platform to showcase the community’s efforts in preserving and promoting Lenggong’s cultural and historical heritage to delegates from around the world.
“Preparations are being made together with the Kampung Chepor and Kampung Lenggong communities to ensure visitors have a meaningful and enjoyable experience,” she told Bernama here yesterday.
According to Nor Hashimah, the delegation will begin its visit at the Aki Aji Gallery in Kampung Chepor, home to more than 500 antiques and old artefacts.
“Visitors will be treated to a range of traditional cultural and heritage showcases, including traditional dances, gamelan performances and demonstrations of rice pounding using a mortar.
“The delegates will also have the opportunity to witness demonstrations of the preparation of traditional Perak dishes such as kebebe and sira ubi, which form part of the culinary identity of the Lenggong community,” she said.
Nor Hashimah said the delegation would visit the Lenggong Valley Archaeological Gallery and Lenggong Museum after lunch to learn more about the history of early civilisations in the area.
“The specialty of Lenggong lies in its continuous history, making it one of the important sites for the study of the development of human civilisation in this region,” she said.
She added that the villagers were actively engaging local heritage figures and activists to ensure the success of the various activities lined up for the visit.
“I hope the SEAPAVAA delegation’s visit will open up new opportunities for collaboration and further enhance the profile of Lenggong Valley as an international heritage tourism destination,” said Nor Hashimah.
