A legacy impact certification
programme aimed at association meeting planners is being backed by Business
Events Sarawak (BESarawak), the Malaysian region’s convention bureau.
The International Congress and
Convention Association (ICCA)
announced BESarawak as the Seed Fund Contributor for the certification
programme, called Association Impact Masterclass.
Senthil Gopinath, CEO of ICCA, said
Sarawak ‘exemplified greatness’ in developing legacy impact, setting a ‘remarkable
standard’ as role models. He said their ‘dedication and achievements in leaving
a positive imprint’ would ‘serve as an inspiration for others’.
The masterclass has been co-created by
ICCA, industry consultants GainingEdge,
and Meet4Impact, the Canada-based
not-for-profit aimed at changing how we measure the value of business events.
BESarawak, along with Curtin University,
is behind the International Journal of Business
Events and Legacies (IJBEL), which collates case studies and articles related
to event legacy.
Datu Hii Chang Kee, deputy state secretary
of Sarawak and deputy chairman of BESarawak, said: “The Sarawak Government
envisions Sarawak to be the Legacy Capital of business events in Malaysia and
Borneo. We see the importance of business events and its legacy in
materialising our 10-year policy, the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030.”
Amelia Roziman, CEO of BESarawak, added:
“Being the exclusive contributor will definitely help us to position Sarawak
better. However, what is important is growing the human capital with highly
qualified legacy impact association members. ICCA has been supporting our
efforts in changing the narrative of business events for the past 6 years. Our long-term
collaboration is with associations who are vital stakeholders with a pivotal
role in developing our key economic sectors in PCDS 2030”.
“If destinations are serious about change, now is
the time to re-evaluate how to leverage legacy impact as a disruptor for future
meetings,” said Gopinath who is also the chairman of the IJBEL Advisory Board.
“Driving
a dramatic positive change in society requires a collective approach and this
edition of the journal speaks very much on how the global industry is applying
legacy impact in the real world to connect their events to the communities they
care about. I urge researchers and practitioners to submit a paper for the next
issue, and organisations to collaborate as strategic partners.”
Written By
James Lancaster
AMI editor James
Lancaster is a familiar face in the meetings industry and international
association community. Since joining AMI in 2010, he has gained a reputation
for asking difficult questions and getting lost in convention centres. Proofer, podcaster, and panellist - in his spare time, James likes to walk,
read, listen to music, and drink beer.
