On 2018, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) was named World Book Capital for the year 2020 by the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, on the recommendation of the World Book Capital Advisory Committee.

The city was selected because of the strong focus on inclusive education, the development of a knowledge-based society and accessible reading for all parts of the city’s population.

With the slogan “KL Baca – caring through reading”, the program focuses on four themes:  reading in all its forms, development of the book industry infrastructure, inclusiveness and digital accessibility, and empowerment of children through reading. Among other events and activities there will be the construction of a book city (the Kota Buku Complex), a reading campaign for train commuters, enhancing of digital services and accessibility by the National Library of Malaysia for the disabled, and new digital services for libraries in 12 libraries in poor housing areas of Kuala Lumpur.  

The city’s objective is to foster a culture of reading and inclusiveness – “A city that reads is a city that cares” – emphasizing ubiquitous access to books throughout the city. The city’s ambitious programme for World Book Capital is linked to the Vision 2020 for Kuala Lumpur and the eco-city project called the River of Life with open-air bookshops and libraries populating the newly-restored waterways of the city.

The year of celebrations will start on 23 April 2020, on the World Book and Copyright Day.

Cities designated as UNESCO World Book Capital undertake to promote books and reading and to organize activities over the year. As the twentieth city to bear the title since 2001, Kuala Lumpur follows Sharjah (2019), and Athens (2018). Past winners include Madrid (2001), Alexandria (2002), New Delhi (2003), Anvers (2004), Montreal (2005), Turin (2006), Bogota (2007), Amsterdam(2008), Beirut (2009), Ljubljana (2010), Buenos Aires (2011), Erevan (2012), Bangkok (2013), Port Harcourt (2014), Incheon (2015), Wroclaw (2016).

Petaling Jaya (PJ) City Council is named as one of the 10 winners of the 2019 UNESCO Learning City Award for its exemplary progress and commitment to promote education and lifelong learning at the local level. Ten cities from around the world has received the 2019 UNESCO Learning City Award on 30 September 2019 in Medellín, Colombia. Nine other winners are Aswan (Egypt), Chengdu (China), Heraklion (Greece), Ibadan (Nigeria), Medellín (Colombia), Melitopol (Ukraine), Santiago (Mexico), Seodaemun-gu (Republic of Korea) and Sønderborg (Denmark).

PJ had made great strides to improve access to public learning spaces, providing free bus services across four city routes which also double as information disseminators through their on-board screens.

The biennial UNESCO Learning City Awards recognize UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) members who have demonstrated significant progress in enhancing education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.

The award was established to further promote lifelong learning for all and showcase good practices in building learning cities. It is conferred on cities that have thereby achieved outstanding progress in learning city development.

Learning cities are key drivers to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. They provide good policies and practices, fostering sustainable development at various levels, notably through lifelong learning.

UNESCO Learning City Video

The prize is awarded every two years and it recognizes initiatives that contribute to improving educational practices around the world, with priority given to developing countries and to marginalized and disadvantaged communities.

 

Year/Edition: 2015-2016

Recipient: University of Malaya

Project Title/ Area: Environmental Citizenship Malaysia

Sponsored by the Government of the People’s Republic of China, recognizes contributions to functional literacy leveraging technological environments in support of adults in rural areas and out-of-school youth.

 

Year/Edition: 2022

Recipient: Pustaka Negeri Sarawak

Project Title/ Area: People Accessible Network for Digital Empowerment and Inclusivity (PANDei)

The Award will be conferred on two individuals or institutions in UNESCO Member States in the Asia-Pacific region for their outstanding efforts and achievements in educational innovation focused on the specific theme of the current edition.

 

Year/Edition: 2020

Recipient: Arus Education Sdn Bhd

Project Title/ Area: Voices of COVID Generation

 

Year/Edition: 2019

Recipient: Universiti Malaysia Sabah

Project Title/ Area: Mentor-Mentee Outreach Program: Promoting University and School Partnerships in Revitalizing STEM Education in Rural Secondary Schools

Biennial award “to afford recognition to outstanding contributions by individuals, groups of individuals, institutes or organizations in the management or preservation of the environment, consistent with the policies, aims and objectives of UNESCO, and in relation to the Organization’s programmes in this field”.

 

This prestigious Prize has been made possible through a generous donation to UNESCO by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al-Said of Oman in 1989.

 

Year/Edition: 2021

Recipient: Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)

Project Title/ Area: –

Throughout Asia and the Pacific, cultural heritage sites are under threat. As heritage buildings and properties are largely in private ownership, the role of private individuals and institutions in protecting these vulnerable sites is paramount. Recognizing this, UNESCO seeks to encourage private sector involvement and public-private collaboration in conserving the region’s cultural heritage for the benefit of current and future generations.

 

Since 2000, UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation (#HeritageAwards) have been recognizing the achievement of the private sector and public-private initiatives in successfully conserving or restoring structures, places and properties of heritage value in the region. In 2020, UNESCO introduced the Special Recognition for Sustainable Development and an updated set of Awards criteria to highlight the contribution of cultural heritage to sustainable development. In addition, UNESCO Bangkok is developing capacity-building activities using exemplars of the award-winning projects and creating opportunities for youth to learn from experienced heritage practitioners through an apprenticeship programme.

 

Year/Edition: 2021

Recipient: Penang

Project Title/ Area: Thai Pak Koong (Ng Suk) Temple (Award of Merit)

 

Year/Edition: 2008

Recipient: Kuala Lumpur

Project Title/ Area: Stadium Merdeka (Award of Excellence)

 

Year/Edition: 2008

Recipient: Penang

Project Title/ Area: Restoration of Suffolk House  (Award of Distinction)

 

Year/Edition: 2002

Recipient: Penang

Project Title/ Area: Cheng Hoon Teng Main Temple (Award of Merit)

 

Year/Edition: 2000

Recipient: Penang

Project Title/ Area: Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion (Most excellent project)

The purpose of the UNESCO/Jikji Memory of the World Prize is to commemorate the inscription of the Buljo jikji simche yojeol, the oldest existing book of movable metal print in the world, on the Memory of the World Register, and to reward efforts contributing to the preservation and accessibility of documentary heritage as a common heritage of humanity.

 

The objective of the Prize is in conformity with UNESCO’s policies and is related to the programme of the Organization to foster universal access to information and knowledge.

 

Year/Edition: 2009

Recipient: National Archives Malaysia

Project Title/ Area: –

The Global Media and Information Literacy Awards recognize information/library, media and technology specialists, educators, artists, activists, researchers, policy makers, NGOs, associations and other groups innovatively integrating Media and Information Literacy in their work and related activities.

 

Year/Edition: 2022

Recipient: Ms Lai Cheng Wong

Project Title/ Area: –

The L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Awards are presented every year to five outstanding women scientists – one per each of the following regions: Africa and the Arab States, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America – in recognition of their scientific accomplishments. Each scientist has had a unique career path combining exceptional talent, a deep commitment to her profession and remarkable courage in a field still largely dominated by men.

 

The scientific fields considered for the awards alternate every other year between Life Sciences (even years) and Physical Sciences, Mathematics and Computer Science (odd years).

 

Year/Edition: 2018 Fellow

Recipient: Dr. Weang Kee Ho

Project Title/ Area: Heath sciences, epidemiological statistics

 

Year/Edition: 2010 Fellow

Recipient: Ms Yifen Tan

Project Title/ Area: Develop models to test new drugs against tuberculosis

 

Year/Edition: 2009 Fellow

Recipient: Ms Yean Yean Chan

Project Title/ Area: Electrochemical DNA biosensors for molecular diagnosis of infectious disease

 

Year/Edition: 2006 Fellow

Recipient: Ms Mun Peak Nyon

Project Title/ Area: Structural Biology: Determining the Three-Dimensional Structure Of Cutinase

 

Year/Edition: 2001 Fellow

Recipient: Ms Suraini Abd-Aziz

Project Title/ Area: Biochemistry