SINGAPORE, 7 October 2026 – Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) will host the Chinatowns of the World International Conference from 17 to 18 October 2026, bringing together 14 scholars, cultural practitioners and industry professionals from Australia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and the United States for two days of knowledge-sharing and dialogue on the contributions and evolving role of Chinatowns in contemporary cities. 

This is the fifth international conference SCCC has organised since 2019 to bring together academics and practitioners from Singapore and overseas to exchange knowledge and insights on different aspects of Chinese culture. The upcoming conference will explore how Chinatowns from different parts of the world have transformed alongside urban renewal while remaining sites of cultural preservation. 

Featuring four panel discussions, the conference will examine four key aspects of Chinatowns comprising the role of arts and culture, the festivals celebrated in Chinatowns, the transformation of traditional and new businesses, as well as the impact of gentrification on Chinatowns and their communities. For more details about the four panels, please refer to the information below:

• Cultural Expressions: Arts in Chinatown – This panel will examine how traditional and contemporary art forms, including Chinese opera and art installations, shape the cultural identity and vitality of Chinatowns.
• Beyond Celebration: Festivals in Chinatown – This panel will explore how festivals can go beyond celebration to support cultural transmission, community participation and the renewal of living heritage.
• Evolving Enterprises: Businesses in Chinatown – This panel will look at how businesses in Chinatown adapt to challenges and support the economic sustainability of the precinct. 
• Transformation Questioned: Gentrification in Chinatown – This panel will consider how conservation, redevelopment and commercial pressures affect local communities, businesses and cultural continuity.

The international conference will include keynote addresses delivered by National University of Singapore Professor Wang Gungwu and Cardiff University Professor Gregor Benton. The panelists for the conference will include President of Melbourne Chinatown Association Heng Jing Jun; Co-founder and managing partner of Kwai Chai Hong Zeen Chang; founder of Old Manila Walks Ivan Man Dy; Co-Chairman of Yokohama Chinatown Development Association Jochi Sho; Singapore University of Technology and Design Associate Professor Yeo Kang Shua; Rutgers University Board of Governors Distinguished Professor Nancy Yunhwa Rao  and more.

SCCC Chief Executive Officer Alvin Tan said: “Through the conference, we hope to foster dialogue between scholars, cultural practitioners and industry professionals on the roles of Chinatowns; generate awareness of the common challenges faced by Chinatowns all over the world; and in doing so, generate insights into how Chinatowns could continue to honour their past, adapt to a fast-evolving present and reimagine themselves for the future.”

The Chinatowns of the World International Conference will be held onsite at SCCC Auditorium, Level 9, live streamed online.  It will be conducted in Mandarin and English. Admission is free. Registration is available for Day 1 and Day 2 respectively.

For more information on the conference proceedings, please click here.