Kuala Lampur, April 27 -- As World Heritage Day comes around each year, it invites us to look beyond the beauty of monuments, buildings, and historic sites, and to ask a deeper question: what truly makes heritage worth protecting? The answer lies not only in stone, timber, and brick, but also in the living traditions, values, memories, and practices that give meaning to our shared identity.

This year, the reflections of Syawal offer a timely lens through which to understand heritage in a richer way. Though the festive month has passed, its spirit lingers in the way families gather, in the warmth of forgiveness exchanged, and in the customs that quietly continue from one generation to the next. In this sense, Syawal is more than a celebra...