Opening of "Sarawak Pavillion" at this year's World Travel Market (WTM) 2025 in London, UK

Once again, our  Sarawak Pavilion is expected to capture the attention of international visitors at this year’s “World Travel Market 2025 (WTM)” held at the ExCeL London Exhibition & Convention Centre, United Kingdom (UK) from 4 to 6 November. I was given the honour to grace the opening ceremony of the unique pavilion which also featured two of our major international initiatives, namely the “Gateway to a Sarawak – Guinness World Record” campaign and the “UNESCO Borneo Site Package”.

Through the “Gateway to a Sarawak – Guinness World Record” campaign, we are actively working to create a world record to attract global attention while celebrating the heritage and diverse attractions of the Land of the Hornbills. Through the “UNESCO Borneo Site Package” campaign, we are actively collaborating with our neighboring state through Sabah Tourism Board, which features natural and cultural treasures including Gunung Mulu National Park in Miri, Niah National Park and Sarawak Delta Geopark. 

A word of gratitude to all strategic partners who have also contributed to success of our Sarawak Pavilion which was also geared towards celebrating the forthcoming “Visit Malaysia Year 2026” (VMY2026) where together we can play a major role in shaping a notable international tourism narrative.

Sarawak to host the “International Council on Archives (ICA) Conference 2027”

It is truly an honour for us in Sarawak to host the “International Council on Archives (ICA) Conference” for the first time in 2027. Our appreciation to the International Council on Archives (ICA) for giving us  the hosting rights on behalf of the state during their recent “ICA Congress 2025” closing ceremony that was held in Barcelona, Spain. This will also be the second time for Malaysia to host an ICA event and the first time for Sarawak. 

Through the hosting of “ICA 2027” conference, Sarawak is set to showcase our commitment towards heritage preservation, cultural diversity, and digital transformation. The ICA Conference 2027 will be held at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) on November 1 to 5, with over 1,000 delegates from around the world, including government agencies, archival institutions, associations, policymakers, and academic leaders are expected to participate.

The prestigious international event will be co-organised by the Sarawak State Library, the National Archives of Malaysia, and the ICA. I was given the honour to receive the flag in a symbolic handover ceremony and it is an honour for us to contribute towards ICA’s mission is about carrying legacies forward. We hope the forthcoming conference will open new opportunities to develop more national and local collaborations on archives, so that the legacies we preserve today continue to inspire generations to come.

Through BE Sararawak efforts last year, Malaysia had succeeded in its bid to host the conference in Kuching backed by a strong multi-agency collaboration led by the Sarawak State Library and the National Archives of Malaysia, with the firm backing of both federal and Sarawak government agencies and universities.

Those contributing to the success were the Premier of Sarawak’s Office; Ministry of National Unity; Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts; BE Sarawak: Sarawak Tourism Board; Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau; Universiti Teknologi Mara Sarawak; Universiti Malaysia Sarawak; University of Technology Sarawak; and Sabah State Archives.