At the recently-concluded ICCA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) revealed that Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) has become the exclusive Seed Grant Contributor for the first legacy impact certification programme – Association Impact Masterclass.
The Association Impact Masterclass is co-created by ICCA, GainingEdge and Meet4Impact. ICCA’s goal is to elevate the business events standards and make it inclusive for everyone, from juniors to leaders, to become world-class professionals. The Association Impact Masterclass will also empower the industry to maximise all opportunities in business events by having professional training aligned with ICCASkills Certification.
Amelia Roziman, CEO of BESarawak, said: “Being the exclusive contributor will help us to position Sarawak better. However, what is important is growing the human capital with highly qualified legacy impact association members. ICCA has been supporting our efforts to change the narrative of business events for the past six years. Our long-term collaboration is with associations who are vital stakeholders with a pivotal role in developing our key economic sectors in Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030.”
More details on the Association Impact Masterclass will be revealed at IBTM World in Barcelona this November.
During the ICCA Congress, Sarawak also stepped out of the delegate role and joined as key speakers for the first time.
The delegation was led by Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, minister for tourism, creative industry and performing arts Sarawak, who spoke at a session entitled Igniting Destination Growth in Unleashing the Power of Association Meetings. During the session, leaders and stakeholders dove into the business events industry’s pivotal role in driving change, and shared 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 Abdul. “Sarawak and ICCA are advocating for the same thing – legacy impact.”
Deputy state secretary in the Department of the Premier of Sarawak and BESarawak’s deputy chairman, Hii Chang Kee, was also the lead speaker for the exclusive CEO of the Future workshop. The workshop was 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 Hii. “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 10 or 200 years but it is necessary for sustainable growth.”
Other partners who joined the Sarawak delegation include the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching led by CEO, Eric Van Piggelen, and Sarawak Trade & Tourism Office Singapore led by CEO, Chew Chang Guan.
On November 12, 2023, at the ICCA Asia Pacific Chapter Meeting, Sarawak was also awarded the Certificate of Achievement in recognition of Sarawak’s contribution to the global business events industry.
