The Chinese neighbours that I grew up with in Ipoh, Malaya in the 1930s and 1940s practised different sets of family rituals and practices. Through these acts, they felt connected with the past as immigrants from China. Done regularly, that provided many occasions for the community to come together. Living in Singapore for the past twenty years, I note how some similar activities perform the same role today. In addition, I am happy to see that the National Heritage Board and various community organizations are doing more to alert people to the value of their cultural artefacts. That, however, is not enough if there are no parallel efforts to connect key aspects of Chinese heritage with knowledge of the historical conditions that produced them.

Like other communities, most Chinese see their heritage as relevant to their lives but are not always aware that it also represents the living past. It is relevant because it is closely related to their migratory traditions within the region over the past two centuries as well as to the homes in China from where their ancestors had come. Conscious or not, what they practise and what they respect, including what they are learning from past experience, is part of their heritage. It would be a pity if the heritage's links with history are taken for granted. A better understanding of the linkages should make their heritage more meaningful to their lives.

For some fifty years, experts at UNESCO have helped the world to think of heritage sites and practices as part of the heritage of humankind. These experts have a strong sense of history, and we are thankful that they have thus enriched our lives. In particular, they have demonstrated that protecting one's heritage can improve our appreciation of what is now being lost and forgotten. Their work reminds us that familiarity with history is essential if we are to appreciate what heritage means.

We all hope that modernity and globalization have softened the differences among the peoples in Asia, but it is obvious that, where heritage is concerned, distinctive attitudes remain. Singapore is no exception. The multiple cultures of its peoples are separate from, if not at odds with, one another.