Malaysia revives Citrawarna 2026 festival to showcase cultural heritage

Citrawarna 2026 was revived after a seven‑year gap and staged at Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur on 25 July. The three‑day event featured about 3,500 dancers and performances representing the 13 Malaysian states and federal territories.

Organised by Tourism Malaysia with support from DBKL, Warisan Kuala Lumpur, the National Arts and Culture Department (JKKN), Istana Budaya and the National Textile Museum, the programme combined music, dance, traditional costumes, more than 70 food and beverage stalls, 20 cultural activity zones and 10 craft displays. It attracted over 700 international visitors from countries such as China, India, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia and several European nations.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim attended the ceremony and said the festival demonstrates the government’s MADANI initiative to preserve and promote Malaysia’s cultural heritage, fostering unity and national pride.