(From left) BESarawak head of Business Development and Research Anedia Kahar, Amelia, Dona, BESarawak Business Development and Marketing general manager Jason Tan and Place Borneo Sdn Bhd CEO Mona Manap at a meeting to announce the conference bid win for AfA 2023 yesterday.
KUCHING (Aug 18): Sarawak will once again be the host destination for the Asia for Animals (AfA) Conference in 2023, beating India and Nepal in the final round of bidding recently.
“We are delighted that AfA will return to Sarawak for the second time, after a successful AfA conference organised in Kuching in 2015. The theme for AfA 2023 is ‘Education and Engagement Evokes Change’, as education is the top concern for animal welfare in this region.
“Education plays an important role, as can be seen from the challenges Sarawak has faced since the 2017 rabies outbreak which is still on-going to this day. We believe the lessons learned from the rabies outbreak need to be shared in AfA 2023 as it is a learning opportunity for other countries,” said Sarawak Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) president Datin Dona Drury-Wee in a statement yesterday.
Dona, who is also the AfA 2023 local host and organiser, said that as borders have now reopened and economies reenergised, event delegates are ready to travel and return to Sarawak to enjoy a physical conference with amazing local fusion food – including specially made vegan food by the event venue BCCK – as well as site visits to some of our unique destinations here in Sarawak.
Meanwhile, Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) chief executive officer (CEO) Amelia Roziman said that AfA 2023 has the potential to leave a lasting legacy impact that will promote real change.
“The event will be a great platform to create opportunities for cross-industry collaboration, enhanced community engagement, better policies development in animal welfare, best practices sharing and many other outcomes that focus on solving real problems,” she said.
The Asia for Animals Coalition, the main organiser of the AfA conference, is composed of 25 respected animal welfare organisations that have a shared focus on improving the welfare of animals in Asia. The coalition is committed to working with, and providing support to, governments, communities and organisations to help in tackling some of the most pressing animal welfare concerns and issues in the region.
AfA 2023 is supported by Business Events Sarawak and the Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak.
The event is managed by Place Borneo Sdn Bhd. For more information, visit www.asiaforanimals.com.