Melaka elected to host World Silat Championships in July

KUALA LUMPUR: Melaka has been chosen as the host of the 2022 World Silat Championships which is scheduled to take place from July 21 to 29 at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC) in Ayer Keroh.

Malaysian National Silat Federation (PESAKA) president Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omardin said the decision was reached at the governing body's executive council meeting Friday afternoon.

"The secretariat has been sent to look at the condition of the venue and found MITC suitable to hold the tournament.

"So we have made an advance booking regarding the venue of the tournament," he told reporters at the PESAKA breaking of fast ceremony here yesterday.

Commenting further, Megat Zulkarnain said at the meeting, the exco also decided to organise the International Silat Seni Festival in Kuala Lumpur, in conjunction with the 2022 World Silat Championships.

"The festival will be held from July 21-24 and its organisation is in line with the recognition of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) of our martial arts in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

"To ensure the recognition remains, we agreed to hold it in Kuala Lumpur with the participation of various participating countries. Apart from promoting silat, the most important thing is that we can defend it as one of our cultural arts elements," he said.

He also said that 32 countries have sent entries to participate in the World Silat Championships and the silat festival.

"The response is very good as countries like India, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan will be participating. In fact, Uzbekistan also applied to be here a month before the tournament to train together," he said.

The World Silat Championships was supposed to be held in 2020 with Sarawak as the venue, before being postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

-- BERNAMA