‘It belongs to all of us’: Kuching Inter-Cultural Mooncake Festival celebrates diversity, strengthens unity

Snowdan (sixth right) and others at the 23rd Kuching Inter-Cultural Mooncake Festival on Sept 15, 2026.

By Christine T

KUCHING, Sept 16: The Kuching Inter-Cultural Mooncake Festival (KIMF) continues to serve as a platform for people from different communities to come together, celebrate their cultural diversity, and strengthen understanding.

Represented by Deputy Minister Datuk Snowdan Lawan, Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the festival reflected the spirit of unity that makes Sarawak unique.

“Our diversity is not something that separates us. It is something that brings us together,” he said at the opening ceremony of the 23rd KIMF here on Tuesday night (Sept 15).

He said an intercultural festival was not simply about having different cultures represented through separate booths or performances, but about creating a space where people could meet, interact, and learn to appreciate one another.

He added this could be seen at KIMF, where the Chinese, Malay, Dayak, Indian, and other communities came together, while families, youths, and senior citizens—both Sarawakians and visitors—shared the same space to enjoy food, performances, and celebrations.

“After 23 editions, I think Kuching has already given us the answer: It belongs to all of us,” he said.

Abdul Karim said cultural harmony did not happen automatically; it has to be nurtured through interaction, shared spaces, and celebrating one another’s festivals.

“It is nurtured when we meet one another. It is nurtured when we share the same space. It is nurtured when we celebrate one another’s festivals,” he said.

He said KIMF provided exactly that platform for people from different backgrounds to interact and discover they had more in common than they might realise.

Abdul Karim also highlighted the importance of passing this spirit on to younger generations, saying young people should be given opportunities to participate while learning from previous generations.

Meanwhile, he congratulated KIMF organising chairman Kapitan Lim Chuan Chan, the Kuching Old Market Community Association, organising committee, participating associations, traders, performers, volunteers, and everyone involved in making the 23rd edition of the festival possible.

Abdul Karim said the festival’s 23-year history was a significant achievement, as an event could only continue for more than two decades when the community embraced it.

“KIMF has reached that stage. It is no longer merely an annual event. It has become part of Kuching’s story,” he said, adding that the Sarawak government would continue supporting initiatives that strengthen cultural diversity and bring communities together.

Also present at the event were Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Batu Lintang branch chairman Sih Hua Tong and Kuching Old Market Community Association (KOMCA) president Kapitan Lim Chuan Chan. — DayakDaily