By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, July 13: From heritage museums and traditional cuisine to environmental conservation and cultural immersion, Sarawak is giving ASEAN youth delegates a unique opportunity to not just observe, but to meaningfully engage and serve during the ASEAN Youth Volunteer (AYV) 2025 programme.
“Here in Sarawak, you will do more than observe, because you will participate, connect, and serve,” said Sarawak Minister for Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah during a welcoming dinner for ASEAN youth delegates at the English Tea House in Petra Jaya here today.
Abdul Karim, who is also State Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts, said the programme reflects Sarawak’s belief that regional transformation must be driven by the hands, hearts, and hopes of youth.
As part of the cultural and community service segment, delegates will begin their journey at the Borneo Cultural Museum to immerse themselves in Sarawak’s vibrant living heritage.
They will then walk across the iconic Darul Hana Bridge, described as a symbol of unity, and enjoy Sarawakian tea and traditional kuih (cakes) by the Kuching Waterfront before heading westward to the village of Kampung Pueh.
While in Kampung Pueh, delegates will participate in a series of community-led corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects and cultural activities, including traditional weaving (anyaman), learning ethnic dances (tarian budaya), and taking part in environmental efforts such as hiking, plogging, and tree planting at Gunung Gading National Park.
They will also support local entrepreneurship by helping to produce keropok (fish or shrimp crackers) at the Centre of Technical Excellence Sarawak (CENTEXS).
The visit will culminate in a Cultural Exchange and BBQ Night featuring Sarawakian favourites such as manok pansoh (chicken cooked in bamboo), umai (raw fish salad), and kek lapis (layer cake), while dressed in traditional Iban, Bidayuh, and Melanau attire.
“This ASEAN Youth Volunteer Programme 2025 is not merely an initiative. It is a catalyst, a signal that ASEAN’s transformation will be forged not behind closed doors, but through the hands, hearts, and hopes of its youth,” Abdul Karim stressed.
He added that the programme aligns with Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship vision in 2025, which aims to position ASEAN as a beacon of peace, inclusivity, and sustainability.
For the record, AYV 2025 is a flagship youth initiative aligned with Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship this year. It combines a regional forum with on-the-ground community service, bringing together youth changemakers from across ASEAN. — DayakDaily
