KUCHING (Nov 10): The state capital will be the focal confluence for international craft organisations, master craftsmen and craft-entrepreneurs as they gather for the Borneo Crafts Global 2.0 Expo and Symposium (BCG 2.0), running from Nov 25 to 29.
Organising chairman Datuk Snowdan Lawan, in a statement, said the Asia Pacific Craft Alliance and the Asean Handicraft Promotion and Development Association will be holding their annual assemblies in Kuching on Nov 27, following a two-day BCG 2.0 Conference on Nov 24-26.
“The conference will feature 25 craft experts and master artists from Australia, Chile, China, Chinese Taipei, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, USA, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and definitely Malaysia.
“A wide range of topics relevant to the current status of international crafts will be covered by the speakers under the conference theme ‘Crafting Traditions and Innovation’.
“Session topics include ‘Craft Tales’, ‘Craft Techniques’, ‘Craft Resources’, ‘Craft Art’, ‘Craft Market’, ‘Craft Patrons’, ‘Craft Future’, and ‘Craft Education’,” said the main organiser, Sarawak Craft Council, in a statement.
Caretaker Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah is expected to launch the conference at a hotel here, which will be a significant event as it will include the repatriation of several Sarawak artefacts by American collector Dr David McLanahan.
The items include a rare hand-carved baby carrier with beads and animal fangs, and also a glass-beaded Iban women’s attire ‘Baju Manik’.
There will also be the launch of two seminal books on crafts by Lindy Joubert, of the Unesco Observatory, University of Melbourne.
Published by Springer, the books are ‘Craft Shaping Society’ and ‘Craft-Tradition and Invention’.
To be staged at the Kuching Waterfront, BCG 2.0 Expo will have over 200 booths in air-conditioned marques designated as ‘International Pavilion’, ‘Malaysian Pavilion’, ‘Sarawak Premium Pavilion’ curated by international designer Edric Ong, ‘Young Crafters Zone’, and also the ‘Rasa Sarawak Food Zone’.
Sarawak Craft Council chief executive officer Suriya Charles the organiser had invited Yang Di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar to launch the expo, and caretaker Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg to attend the Gala Dinner and Crafts Fashion Showcase on Nov 27, as its guest-of-honour.
“At the gala dinner in Amity Hall of Unifor building, the special and inaugural AHPADA Awards for Outstanding Craft Communities in the Asean region will also be presented.”
For conference registration and gala dinner tickets, contact the administrator via @borneocraftglobal.my. Credit: Borneo Post Online