Our Mission

Our Mission

The Penang Heritage Trust (PHT) was established in 1986 as a charitable NGO, dedicated to promoting Penang’s cultural and built heritage. Its objectives are to promote the conservation of Penang’s heritage, to facilitate cultural educational programmes, to organize public awareness programmes and to cooperate with other like-minded organizations in Malaysia and abroad.

After 10 years of campaigning George Town’s world heritage status, PHT managed to help George Town to be listed by the UNESCO as a world heritage site on 7 July 2008. It is officially recognized as having a unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia.

We believe that development guided by respect for community, heritage and environment will improve our quality of life and prosper our local economy. Imagine the Prangin Canal area reclaimed as a people’s park and the derelict row of shophouses restored. Imagine our abandoned warehouses turned into a city campus for one of the world’s top universities. Imagine walking through car-free streetscapes and taking a tram around George Town. Imagine Penang Hill developed with care keeping its character as a historic hill station and forest reserve.

Imagine our young Malaysian becoming heritage champions and making Penang a creative city.
Imagine George Town inspiring a movement to revitalize heritage in other Asian cities.

Over the last 25 years, the Penang Heritage Trust has made a difference to Penang. Imagine what we can do with your support and sponsorship!

You can help Penang Heritage Trust
1. Position Penang as a regional heritage hub
2. Grow our heritage community
3. Keep alive the soul of our city
4. Conserve our commons
5. Save our heritage

Sign up to be a PHT member now!