(Standing left to right) Hii Chang Kee (permanent secretary to Ministry of Tourism Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports), Gerald Goh (advisor of Ethos Connect International Consulting Sdn Bhd), Lee, Abdul Karim, Junghanns, Guido Weiss (deputy CEO of HIK CCI Ostbrandenburg) and Wilson Sim (director of Ethos Connect International Consulting Sdn Bhd) at the signing of MoU between IHK and Ethos. Seen seated are Sim (left) and Woffling.
FRANKFURT: A memorandum of understanding (MoU) to foster international tourism, culture and economic cooperation between Germany and Sarawak was signed on March 5 at the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, IHK–Projektgesellschaft Ostbrandenburg, Berlin.
The MoU was signed between Ethos Connect International Consulting Sdn Bhd, represented by its managing director Sim Ling Ling, and IHK-Projekgesellschaft represented by its chief executive officer Peter Woffling.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Khim Shin and Claus Junghanns, mayor of Frankfurt Oder.
The MoU marks a new chapter in international collaboration and partnership between Germany and Sarawak in tourism, sports, culture and youth programmes which will have spill-over effects on all other industries in Sarawak.
The combination of strengths and expertise from IHK-Projekgesellschaft and Ethos will benefit all industries in Sarawak to maintain quality and sustainable economic development, develop their workforce for the future challenges of digitalisation of trade and make their industries relevant as they can now have access to international benchmarks and best practices through the collaboration.
The first cultural and tourism exchange between Germany and Sarawak will take place in September this year, when a group of German and Polish interns arrive in Sarawak for apprenticeship programmes.
The apprentices shall be taking up placements in tourism-related industries such as Pullman Hotels & Resorts, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Riverside Majestic Hotel & Grand Margherita Hotel, Travel Agencies, and tourism Offices.
According to Abdul Karim, who gave a speech to the industry representatives of Frankfurt Oder and Brandenburg at one of the events, Sarawak is the best choice destination that will definitely be appealing for German and Polish tourists as it has abundant nature parks, natural resources and attractions and warm and friendly people.
Abdul Karim also informed the meeting about the Visit Sarawak Campaign which the state is launching now, to offer the world its multi-racial community and diverse cultural heritage.
The Sarawak entourage was later invited to visit the state-of-the-art Olympics sports centre where they were offered generous sharing on the valuable experience and insight on the management and structure of the centre of excellence that would be instrumental to gear Sarawak to be a sports powerhouse in Malaysia.