Ipoh: The Ministry of Education (MOE) will submit an application for Gendang 24 Perayaan to be recognised as a cultural heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh stated that this effort aligns with the ministry's aspirations and objectives to preserve and develop the heritage art form and introduce it to younger generations.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Wong mentioned that discussions were held in May to strategize on aiding Gendang 24 Perayaan's application to UNESCO. This initiative is part of the ministry's vision and objectives. Wong highlighted these points during his speech at the National Primary Schools Gendang 24 Finals Competition at Stadium Indera Mulia.

Wong added that discussions at both ministry and community levels have been ongoing to identify steps for strengthening the development of Gendang 24 Perayaan. One such initiative is the Train the Trainers programme, aimed at training educators to introduce and cultivate the art in more schools.

The competition was organised by the Sports, Co-curricular and Arts Division of MOE, along with the Malaysia Gendang 24 Perayaan Association, and was sponsored by Yayasan Sime Darby. It saw participation from 16 top primary school teams, with 417 students nationwide, reflecting the enthusiasm of the younger generation in preserving local cultural heritage.

Gendang 24 Perayaan was founded in Malaysia in 1988 by Tan Hooi Song and Tan Chai Puan and was recognised as Intangible National Heritage in 2009. Over the years, it has evolved from a few school teams to hundreds, becoming a significant cultural art form in Malaysia.