The Sarawak Delegation, led by Dato Sri Abdul Karim, with the ICCA World and ICCA Asia Pacific teams.
BANGKOK, THAILAND, 13 November 2023: Sarawak has geared up as a global business events advocate for the government sector at the 62nd ICCA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand from 12-15 November with the Sarawak delegation, led by The Honourable Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah fueling the global interest in legacy impact initiatives in several power-packed activities on the main stage.
The Honourable Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, will be speaking in a power session called “Igniting Destination Growth in Unleashing the Power of Association Meetings” where world leaders and industry influencers dive into the business events industry’s pivotal role in driving change and sharing strategies for the industry to successfully interact with senior officials.
“What you will see from business events is one of the highest levels of advocacy and awareness of critical topics. And when there is advocacy, there is awareness. You will build support from those who believe in what you are trying to do,” said The Honourable Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah. “Sarawak and ICCA are advocating for the same thing—legacy impact. It is a privilege for me to represent Sarawak at the 62nd ICCA Congress on stage, showcase our successes and contribute to global knowledge on the impactful initiatives taking place in our destination.”
Deputy State Secretary in the Department of the Premier of Sarawak and BESarawak’s Deputy Chairman, Datu Hii Chang Kee, will be the lead speaker for the exclusive ‘CEO of the Future’ workshop. The workshop is designed for C-suite and senior leaders to do a deep dive into critical topics facing the industry and elevate their leadership to meet future challenges.
“Unprecedented challenges have taught the industry that leaders need to have a long-term vision or risk falling behind,” expressed Datu Hii Chang Kee. “While we focus on immediate progress and results, we need a balanced approach by thinking further into the future that can sustain success and resilience in today’s highly competitive business space. It will inspire innovation, accelerate growth and enable the industry to stand out in their respective regions. It may seem farfetched to strategise the next ten or twenty years but it is necessary for sustainable growth.”
BESarawak was awarded the ICCA Certificate of Achievement for Sarawak’s contribution to the global industry development
“On 12 November at the ICCA Asia Pacific Chapter Meeting, we were awarded the Certificate of Achievement in recognition of Sarawak’s contribution to the global business events industry,” said BESarawak CEO, Amelia Roziman who received the certificate on behalf of the organisation. “Sarawak’s visibility will be widespread at the 62nd ICCA Congress from the strength of the participation this year. We are harnessing the legacies of our collaborations with partners and supporters such as ICCA and are very honoured to be awarded as one of the leaders in the region. This shows ICCA’s genuine interest in our initiatives and their understanding of legacy impact.”
From left: Serena Ong (Legacy & Sustainability), Amelia Roziman (CEO), Rose Bruce (Strategic Communications) and Gloria Pahang (Business Development)
Other partners joining the Sarawak delegation are Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) led by CEO, Eric Van Piggelen and Sarawak Trade & Tourism Office Singapore (STATOS) led by CEO, Chew Chang Guan.
The annual ICCA Congress by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) is a prestigious global gathering of business events and thought leaders to educate on the industry’s critical matters and celebrate achievements. The 62nd ICCA Congress has drawn a crowd of 1,000 delegates worldwide and this is the first time that Sarawak has stepped out of the delegate role and joined as key speakers.
