RAYS 2026 gathers youth delegates from ASEAN & beyond
- BT
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KUCHING, 25 June 2026: The 3rd edition of the Rainforest Youth Summit (RAYS) 2026 officially opened yesterday at voco Hotel Kuching, kicking off 3 days of dialogue, collaboration and action focused on climate resilience, biodiversity protection, cultural continuity and sustainable development. Held from June 24 to 26, RAYS 2026 brings together youth leaders, advocates, researchers, creatives, students, emerging policymakers and sustainability practitioners from across ASEAN and beyond under the theme “Youth: Many Ways, One Planet”.
With a strong turnout from youths across all 11 ASEAN countries and the wider international community, RAYS 2026 also sees new representation from Timor-Leste, alongside delegates from varied disciplines, communities and lived experiences. It builds on the success of the previous 2 editions, which collectively convened over 1,700 youth participants, featured over 50 speakers, engaged more than 80 organisations and connected voices from 37 countries. In its 3rd edition, RAYS continues to evolve beyond dialogue by strengthening youth participation in climate governance, applied learning and long-term sustainability action.
Yesterday’s opening ceremony was officiated by the Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development and Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who remarked, “In its 3rd edition, RAYS enters a new phase, moving from awareness to action, from participation to leadership and from conversation to long-term engagement. Across the world, the youth are no longer waiting for permission to shape the future. They are already leading, building, mobilising, influencing and challenging institutions to think differently.”
The opening ceremony also saw a thematic opening address by Sarah Lois Dorai titled ‘Being the Ancestors of the Future’ as well as an artistic interlude by Alena Murang. Later, Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim as well as other distinguished guests also took the time to check out the pop-up booths, which includes WWF, Oori Coffee, Benang, Bunga Bunga, Mighty Munch, Sugar Rush X Jardin Ma Mere, Yayasan Hasanah and others.
Organised by the Sarawak Tourism Board, RAYS 2026 is a platform where youth, indigenous leaders, scientists, creatives and changemakers come together to exchange knowledge and co-create solutions. Throughout the programme, delegates will participate in keynote dialogues, plenary sessions, workshops, youth-led discussions, cultural exchanges, networking sessions and curated experiences aimed at translating ideas into practical action.
“RAYS 2026 is more than a 3-day summit. It is a pathway for learning, leadership and action, where young people are not only here to receive knowledge, but to bring knowledge, build relationships and carry their commitments forward,” said Chief Executive Officer of Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), Dr. Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor.
A key highlight of this year’s summit is the Planet Futures Forum, a collaborative climate simulation that enables youth to step into the realities of how climate decisions are shaped. Through scenario-based negotiations, systems thinking and collective decision-making, participants will explore the trade-offs, constraints and shared responsibilities involved in real-world climate governance. The Forum is designed to build youth capacity in design thinking, negotiation and collective decision-making while contributing towards the development of the RAYS Youth Declaration.
The summit will also produce the inaugural RAYS Youth Declaration, capturing the aspirations, commitments and recommendations of young people towards a more sustainable future. The Declaration will serve as a reference point for continued youth engagement, reflecting the summit’s commitment to ensuring that youth voices continue beyond the three-day programme.
RAYS 2026 also marks the launch of the RAYS Fellowship Programme, a 12-month leadership journey for selected young leaders focused on collective climate governance and applied action. Rooted in the principle of “Many Ways, One Planet,” the fellowship will support fellows in practising shared leadership, engaging with Indigenous and local knowledge-holders, contributing to governance proposals, and translating summit dialogue into action through guided monthly learning, applied governance work and collaborative cohort engagement.
Together, the Planet Futures Forum, RAYS Youth Declaration and RAYS Fellowship Programme demonstrate the long-term direction of RAYS as a platform that extends beyond a one-off summit. They reflect Sarawak’s commitment to nurturing a generation of youth leaders equipped to collaborate across borders, cultures and disciplines while shaping practical solutions for climate resilience, biodiversity protection and sustainable development.
As part of the programme, RAYS delegates will participate in selected cultural and experiential activities linked to Sarawak’s broader cultural and sustainability ecosystem, including curated experiences that showcase the connection between rainforest, community and culture. Delegates will also attend the opening day of the Rainforest World Music Festival 2026, highlighting the intersection of culture, community and conservation.
Funded and organised by the State Government of Sarawak and Sarawak Tourism Board, RAYS 2026 is endorsed by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak and supported by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Sarawak, together with strategic partners ASEAN, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), and UN Tourism. RAYS 2026 will continue until 26 June 2026, concluding with the presentation of the inaugural RAYS Youth Declaration, reflecting the collective aspirations and commitments of young people towards a more sustainable and resilient future.
