KUCHING – The Rainforest Youth Summit (RAYS) 2025 opened in Kuching with a powerful call to action, as more than 700 youth leaders, climate advocates and Indigenous changemakers from across Asean and beyond converged to advance a shared agenda for sustainability, justice, and ecological integrity.
The three-day summit, held at Hikmah Exchange and the Sarawak Cultural Village, was launched by Sarawak Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who reaffirmed the state’s commitment to inclusive climate action and youth leadership.
“This summit reflects Sarawak’s commitment to sustainable development and our confidence in the youth as catalysts for change,” he said.
“By bringing together passionate youth from across Asean, we are nurturing a new generation of climate leaders rooted in both innovation and Indigenous knowledge.”
Abdul Karim said the return of RAYS to Sarawak for a second consecutive year reinforced Kuching’s role as a regional centre for biodiversity, indigenous knowledge and environmental resilience. He also welcomed the summit’s focus on connecting global youth with Sarawak’s cultural and ecological heritage through meaningful, place-based experiences.
“Build networks. Raise your voice. Protect what must be protected. Reimagine what must be changed. And in everything, walk together — as we say in Sarawak, Segulai Sejalai,” he told delegates.
Carrying the theme “Living Landscapes: Charting a Sustainable Future,” RAYS 2025 offers a platform for youth to engage in workshops, plenary discussions, cultural exchanges and policy-oriented action planning — all grounded in a belief that traditional knowledge can inform modern solutions to the climate crisis.
Kicking off the morning, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid delivered a stirring opening address invoking the legendary spirit of Sarawak warrior Rentap.
“Agi Idup Agi Ngelaban – As long as you live, you fight,” he declared. “We want you to rise as World Shakers.”
A standout moment of the summit’s first day came from Indigenous strategist and Bidayuh scholar Dr June Rubis, whose keynote “A Political Ecology of Remembering: Stories from the Land, Stories for the Future” challenged delegates to think deeply about the politics of memory and resistance.
Drawing from personal family history, Sarawak cosmology, and Indigenous frameworks of justice, Dr Rubis spoke about contra memory — memory that resists dominant narratives — and cautioned against romanticising heritage.
“Remembering is not nostalgia,” she said. “It is radical.”
“If you are lucky, you may become the elder one day. And when that time comes — contribute.”
The summit gathers voices from 13 countries, including Australia, Bolivia, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, Panama, the Philippines, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Notable speakers include climate justice advocate Mitzi Jonelle Tan from the Philippines, Cool The Globe founder and Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree Prachi Shevgaonkar, refugee rights ambassador Zoya Miari, conservation scientist Dr Ahmad Zafir Abdul Wahab, and Youths United for Earth (YUFE) co-founder Max Han.
Joining Dr Rubis in representing Sarawak is visual artist and poet Bethany Luhong Balan, whose work explores identity and heritage through a contemporary lens.
RAYS 2025 is aligned with Malaysia’s Asean Chairmanship and supported by global and regional partners including UN Tourism, PATA, the ASEAN Youth Advocates Network (AYAN), and the International Forestry Students’ Association (IFSA).
The summit will culminate in a visit to the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF), offering delegates an immersive experience in Sarawak’s vibrant cultural landscape — a powerful reminder that climate action is also rooted in honouring place, people and history. — June 18, 2025