By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, April 24: A delegation from Sarawak, comprising members of the State-level Gawai Dayak Celebration 2024 Working Committee, is in London to promote the exciting array of activities planned for the upcoming Gawai Dayak Celebration in Kuching and its surrounding areas.
According to a press release, one of the visit’s highlights was the launch of the Gawai Dayak Tourism Brochure on April 22 by Sarawak Minister of Education, Innovation, and Talent Development (MEITD) Datuk Seri Roland Sagah Wee Inn, who was represented by MEITD deputy permanent secretary and secretary I of the Working Committee, Anielia Siam.
The launch took place at the Malaysia Tourism and Promotional Board (MTPB) in London.
Sagah, who also serves as the chairman of the State-level Gawai Dayak Celebration 2024 Working Committee, stated in his speech, “The brochure outlines various packages for tourists to experience Sarawak’s unique cultures and heritage.
“With the tremendous support from the High Commission of Malaysia (HCM) and the Malaysia Tourism and Promotional Board (MTPB) in London, we are able to provide firsthand information about Gawai Dayak to the residents across the United Kingdom and other European countries.”
The minister’s text-of-speech was read by Anielia.
He continued, “The celebration of Gawai Dayak has a number of positive effects on society and the nation, including education and cultural understanding, cultural preservation and promotion, community development and entrepreneurship, and environmental management and conservation.
“We have so many experiential programmes to offer and I am pleased to invite not just tourists but also fellow Malaysians who are residing abroad to come home and participate in the Gawai Dayak celebration.”
The three main packages will allow tourists to explore Sarawak’s multicultural mosaic, which includes the Bidayuh, Iban, and Orang Ulu communities.
The Bidayuh and Orang Ulu packages were created by Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak), led by its chief executive officer, Amelia Roziman.
Meanwhile, the Sarawak Tourism Federation developed the Iban package specifically for leisure tourists.
Major events during the State-level Gawai Dayak Celebrations 2024 include the Gawai Dayak Bazaar (May 16 – May 26) at MJC Batu Kawa Kuching, the Gawai Dayak Carnival (June 6 – June 9) at Dewan Manggeng, Siburan, and the Gawai Dayak Cultural Parade (June 15) at Padungan and Kuching Waterfront.
The Sarawak government will also highlight the aforementioned events in the Gawai Dayak Coffee Table Book and Tourism Brochure 2024, which will be released on Sept 16.
Also present at the launch were ACP Mohamed Alex Imran Abdullah, police liaison from the High Commission of Malaysia (HCM) in London; Siti Syazalena Amir Sharifuddin, deputy director of Malaysia Tourism and Promotional Board (MTPB) in London; Kasubi Bakir, Welfare officer of Sarawak Foundation House in London; community leaders (Bidayuh, Iban, and Orang Ulu communities), officials from MEITD, Sarawak Skills, various non-governmental organisations (NGOs); and Working Committee members of the Gawai Dayak Coffee Table Book and Tourism Brochure 2024.
For more information about the aforementioned tourism packages, contact Gloria Pahang, senior Business Development executive, Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak), at gloria@sarawakcb.com or call +6017 8511351. — DayakDaily
