Semenggoh Orang Utan Sanctuary received a sizeable donation from an Asian meetings market pioneer, for its conservation efforts of endangered Bornean Orangutans.
Anthony Wong, group managing director of AOS Conventions and Events, donated his prize winnings of 1,000 euros (US$1,062) – received from the prestigious Moises Schuster Award 2016 of the International Convention and Congress Association (ICCA) – to the sanctuary, which he nominated as his top choice for most outstanding charity.
(From left) AOS Conventions and Events’ Anthony Wong, and ICCA president Nina Freysen-Pretorius at the award ceremony
“Like many others working over a lifetime to promote sustainability in this sector, I was truly inspired by Sarawak’s efforts to use conferences as an excellent global platform to reawaken interest in conservation or charitable programmes; in this case, to promote the plight of our ‘Man of the Forest’,” said Wong.
Named after one of ICCA’s “founding fathers”, the award recognises individuals in the international meetings sector who model the values of inspiring business success, leadership, and contribution to ICCA’s development.
Wong, a regional champion of sustainable and environmentally friendly practices, received the honour in November last year at the 55th ICCA Congress in Kuching, Sarawak.
Wong’s choice is also a strong nod of support to both ICCA and Sarawak Convention Bureau, who jointly ran the successful ‘Borneo Orangutan Project’ as the Congress’ flagship corporate social responsibility project to an international audience from Barcelona and Melbourne, to Shanghai, Bangkok and Las Vegas.
