KUALA LUMPUR, 6 November 2025 — Ten Malaysian artisans, designers, and creative entrepreneurs have been selected for the inaugural Khazanah ACE² Heritage Textile Fellowship 2025, a joint initiative by Yayasan Hasanah and Yayasan Khazanah designed to future-proof Malaysia’s heritage textile ecosystem
The fellowship represents a bold new model for cultural leadership — one that connects Malaysia’s craft traditions with global innovation, and elevates artisans not only as creators, but as community builders, educators, and changemakers.
A fellowship rooted in purpose and preservation
The Khazanah ACE² Heritage Textile Fellowship is a six-month programme equipping participants with global best practices, technical expertise, and design innovation
Over three weeks in Türkiye, fellows will train with master artisans in Istanbul, Kayseri, and Bursa, exploring how heritage craftsmanship coexists with modern design and sustainability. They will then return home for a five-month mentorship phase focused on product innovation, entrepreneurship, and community engagement — culminating in a Capsule Craft Collection that showcases their reimagined artistry.
“By connecting our artisans with textile masters in Istanbul, Bursa, and Kayseri, we’re opening doors to lessons that can’t be found in books — it’s a lived experience that reshapes how we see our craft and its potential.” said YB Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture.
“This marks the first time our Malaysian heritage textile artisans are taking part in a learning programme of this scale — one that combines global exposure, mentorship, and product innovation,” he added.
Guiding heritage with courage and care
In her opening remarks, Siti Kamariah Ahmad Subki, Trustee and Managing Director of Yayasan Hasanah & Trustee of Yayasan Khazanah, spoke about the need for collaboration and shared growth across Malaysia’s creative community.
“We cannot grow by competing in silos,” she said. “We flourish when knowledge is shared, and when our ecosystem evolves together.”
She added that the fellowship aims to close a long-standing gap: many artisans work in isolation, without platforms to exchange ideas or access global learning.
“If we are to future-proof our heritage, we must grow into a network — one that learns from each other and uplifts the entire community,” she shared. “Heritage preservation is not about resisting change; it’s about guiding it — with care, creativity, and courage.”
Why Türkiye — and what it represents
Chosen as the fellowship’s first international classroom, Türkiye represents a nation where heritage and modernity coexist — from Anatolian weaving cooperatives to contemporary textile universities.
“Türkiye offers a model of resilience and innovation,” said H.E. Emir Salim Yüksel, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Malaysia. “Our country’s textile ecosystem combines centuries-old artistry with advanced design and sustainable production — lessons that can inspire artisans anywhere in the world.”
With Khazanah Nasional’s established presence there, the country serves as a natural bridge for collaboration.
“Türkiye is a hundred-year-old nation whose heritage still holds global significance,” said Nini. “It shows how tradition can evolve without losing its soul — and that’s a lesson we want our fellows to see first-hand,” according to Nini.
She noted that Malaysia and Türkiye share surprising commonalities in textile technique and philosophy.
H.E. Emir Salim Yüksel notes, “both our nations understand that heritage is not static — it must be lived, taught, and reimagined. We are honoured to welcome Malaysia’s fellows to Istanbul, Bursa, and Kayseri, and look forward to their creative exchange with Turkish artisans.”
Expanding horizons, elevating artisans
For Nini Marini, Head of Arts and Public Spaces at Yayasan Hasanah and Programme Director of the Fellowship, this initiative is about helping Malaysian artisans realise their potential beyond craft alone.
“Our focus is to elevate artisans, creative entrepreneurs, and textile artists to the next level — wherever they are in their journey,” she explained. “An artisan doesn’t need to remain an artisan forever; they can grow to become innovators, educators, and even community developers,” Nini said.
The inaugural cohort was carefully curated to include experienced craftswomen alongside younger artists just beginning to explore heritage textiles.
Threads that bind Malaysia’s future
From left to right: Mohd Azwarin bin Ahmed, Foo Hui Ping, Nor Azrina Lasa, Rosliza Binti Muhammad, Charmaine Kamal, Neng Kho Razali, Norinda K. Su’ut,, and Representative of Haris Rashid.
For Yayasan Khazanah, the Fellowship reaffirms its mission to develop human capital with purpose — nurturing leaders across fields who embody Malaysia’s diversity, talent, and creativity.
As reflected by Siti Kamariah Ahmad Subki, Trustee and Managing Director of Yayasan Hasanah & Trustee of Yayasan Khazanah:“When we invest in people, we invest in the continuity of culture itself. These artisans are not only preserving Malaysia’s textile heritage — they are shaping how it will live on for generations to come.”
The ten Fellows — representing crafts such as batik, telepuk, keringkam, kain dastar, and bamboo weaving — will return from Türkiye equipped not just with new skills, but with a broader vision of what Malaysian craftsmanship can become.
“Heritage survives not because one artisan succeeds, but because an entire community grows together,” she continued. “This Fellowship may be a small step — but it is one rooted in hope, that what we nurture today will thrive long after us.”
