If we put you in a spot and asked you which country first started the concept of hawker centres, what would you say?

Hawker centres are a common sight in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, China and honestly most countries in this side of the world kan.

A bit hard to say who started it first.

Well, no matter what your answer is, google "hawker centre" and pages and pages about Singapore hawker centres will probably pop up.

In fact, Singapore's "hawker culture" was recently recognised by UNESCO you guys!

A Reuters report pertaining to the matter said that "Singapore's tradition of communal dining at hawker centres and open-air food courts" has been recognised by UNESCO for its cultural significance.

Singapore's hawker culture recognised by UNESCO

UNESCO announced on Wednesday that the island republic's "hawker culture" has been added to its Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

This was decided close to two years after Singapore submitted a request for it's "hawker culture" be included in the list.

Great news – Singapore Hawker Culture has been inscribed on the @UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity! Thanks to our hawkers for nourishing a nation’s stomach and spirits. – LHL #OurHawkerCulture #ThankYouHawkers https://t.co/DXiEuo9L6p pic.twitter.com/1dtgt76Hvs

— leehsienloong (@leehsienloong) December 16, 2020

The report said that Singapore's hawker centres were first set up in the 1970s and included a host of street vendors serving affordable local dishes.

"These centres serve as 'community dining rooms' where people from diverse backgrounds gather and share the experience of dining over breakfast, lunch and dinner," UNESCO said.

Good news for Singapore but claiming it as a Singapore tradition? Hmmmm

What do you think?