KUALA LUMPUR TO BE RECOGNISED AS A PIONEERING CITY IN DAVOS BAUKULTUR ALLIANCE - DR ZALIHA

LABUAN, May 8, (Bernama) -- Kuala Lumpur is set to be recognised as one of the pioneering cities in the Davos Baukultur Alliance, an international initiative aimed at promoting high-quality cultural and architectural development in urban environments.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa shared the development during her journey from Milan to Venice, where she is scheduled to deliver a commitment speech at the Davos Baukultur Alliance, Biennale Architettura 2025 Public Programme.

“Kuala Lumpur will be positioned as one of the pioneering places within the Davos Baukultur Alliance.

“This recognition underscores our commitment to integrating cultural and architectural excellence into our urban development strategies,” she said in a brief statement to Bernama tonight.

Dr Zaliha added that in her upcoming address, she would highlight the CHASE City Framework currently being implemented in the Federal Territories.

The framework aims to incorporate the principles of Baukultur, which emphasise the cultural significance of building and urban planning.

“The CHASE City Framework aligns with the Baukultur principles by focusing on sustainable and culturally enriched urban development.

“Our goal is to create spaces that reflect our heritage while meeting contemporary needs,” she said.

Launched in 2023, the Davos Baukultur Alliance brings together stakeholders from politics, the private sector, and civil society to improve city, village, and landscape planning.

The alliance is based on the Davos Declaration, which emphasises that building is culture and creates space for culture. 

The initiative encourages countries, organisations, institutions, and companies to commit to high-quality Baukultur at political and strategic levels.

Dr Zaliha also said that Kuala Lumpur’s inclusion in the alliance would make it one of the few Asian cities to adopt and implement the Baukultur principles. 

“This positions Kuala Lumpur as a leader in culturally conscious urban development in the region,” she said.

Following her participation in the Davos Baukultur Alliance programme, Dr Zaliha said she was scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Her Excellency Baume-Schneider to discuss potential collaborations between Switzerland’s Federal Department of Home Affairs and Malaysia’s Federal Territories.

“We are exploring avenues for cooperation that will benefit both our nations, particularly in areas of urban development and cultural exchange,” Dr Zaliha said.

She said the engagement in the Davos Baukultur Alliance reflected Malaysia’s broader commitment to sustainable and culturally integrated urban planning, aligning with the nation’s MADANI vision for inclusive and progressive development.

--BERNAMA