Yong (third left) with committee members (from left) Franklin Simon, Marian Chin, Louise Macul, Nick Jansen and Karen Shepherd.
KUCHING: The first Kuching Heritage Race on Jan 30 aims to renew interest and appreciation for the city’s cultural and built heritage.
Kuching Heritage Committee chairman Philip Yong said the run also aims to raise funds for charity.
“The aim of this race is to raise at least RM20,000 for Meeting Needs, an NGO (non-governmental organisation) that assists underprivileged families, especially those with special needs children,” he told a press conference yesterday.
The team event is open to participants of all ages who are fit enough to walk up to 3km, with each team consisting of two to six members.
“They will have to race through central Kuching, testing their knowledge and agility as they answer questions and carry out activities based on the clues and instructions given.
“The first three teams that have successfully completed all the challenges, answered all the questions correctly and finished within the three hours will receive cash prizes worth RM1,000, RM500, and RM250 for the champion, and the first and second runners-up respectively,” he said.
There will also be prizes for lucky draws and subsidiary title winners — Best Dressed Team, Best Photograph, Best Team Spirit, and Best Social Media.
Participants are required to take and post photos of their race on social media sites.
Yong pointed out that Kuching folk should be interested in their own city as they play major roles as ambassadors.
“Thus this race is being organised to make discovering the hidden cultural heritage of Kuching fun and provide a great learning experience. Hopefully participants will get to discover something new as they participate in this race, something they are probably not mindful of.
“I wish to rekindle the appreciation and love among citizens in Kuching, and let us all fall in love again with our city as it has been too long that we have taken the city for granted,” he added.
The entry fee is RM50 per participant and payment should be made before collecting the race pack.
There is no deadline to enter but the race is limited to 200 participants.
To register or for details go to www.kuchingheritage.com.