Ting (standing, centre) poses with the winners of the Sarawak Youth Talent 2023 contests.
KUCHING (Aug 7): The youths play an important role in promoting and implementing sustainable tourism practices, thus shaping the future of tourism, said Datuk Sebastian Ting.
The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts said with their unique perspectives, the youths can contribute to the development of sustainable tourism policies and practices that consider the interest of the future generations.
“They (youths) have the power to influence their peers and the community at large by demonstrating how to protect and preserve our unique natural and cultural heritage,” he said at the awards-presentation ceremony for the Sarawak Youth Talent 2023 contests at Farley shopping mall here yesterday.
In his closing address, he pointed out that 42 per cent of Sarawak’s 2.8-million population consisted of youths.
This group, he added, represented a ‘vast reservoir’ of creativity and vitality that need to be tapped into.
“The ministry is committed to empower the youths with necessary skills, tools and opportunities to fully realise their potentials.
“Empowering the youths in Sarawak is not just about providing guidance or instructions, but it also requires us to listen to their ideas, understand their concerns, as well as to integrate their voices into our policies and decisions,” he said.
The Sarawak Youth Talent 2023 contests, organised by Sarawak Research Society, attracted 501 submissions this year for poster designs and one-minute TikTok videos in promoting responsible behaviours towards the diverse natural environment.