STB announces return of Rainforest Youth Summit (RAYS) 2026

BT
21 hours ago
4 min read

KUCHING, 25 February 2026: After two years of uniting 1,700 participants, featuring more than 50 speakers, and engaging representatives from over 80 organisations across 37 countries, the Rainforest Youth Summit (RAYS) returns in 2026 from 24 to 26 June, 2026 for its third edition with a renewed urgency and a shared commitment to mobilise the next generation in the fight for a sustainable planet.

Funded and organised by the State Government of Sarawak through the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) and endorsed by ASEAN, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and UN Tourism, RAYS 2026 will convene over 700 youth participants from all 11 ASEAN countries. The summit will feature 17 dynamic speakers from across the globe — including sustainability advocate from Panama, Diwigdi Valiente, founder of Bye Bye Plastic Bags and Youthtopia, Melati Wijsen from Indonesia, climate justice campaigner, Tori Tsui from the United Kingdom, environmentalist Isaias Hernandez from the United States and founder and CEO of the Green Generation Initiative, Elizabeth Wathuti from Kenya.

During the launching of RAYS 2026 at the Borneo Cultures Museum Auditorium yesterday, Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts (MTCP) and Minister for Youth, Sports & Entrepreneur Development Sarawak (MYSED), Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah underscored the summit’s growing regional role, saying “RAYS reflects Sarawak’s conviction that youth must not be placed at the edge of sustainability conversations, but firmly at the centre of them. Through this summit, Sarawak positions itself as a convening hub for youth-led climate leadership in the region, a space where ASEAN’s diverse voices converge, where collaboration is nurtured, and where shared responsibility is strengthened.”

RAYS 2026 is set to bring together keynote dialogues, youth-led labs, and policy-focused sessions that centre on lived experience, regional perspectives, and practical pathways to action. Delegates will also take part in curated offsite excursions showcasing Sarawak’s protected rainforest sites and vibrant urban culture. The summit journey culminates with delegates attending the opening day of the Rainforest World Music Festival 2026, offering a cultural lens into how community, heritage, and conservation intersect within Sarawak’s responsible tourism model.

“As the leading organizer, the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) carries a clear responsibility. Behind the conversations and plenaries is careful coordination, Behind the networking spaces is structured planning. Our role is to ensure that RAYS remains professionally managed, inclusive and supportive for both delegates and speakers,” shared CEO of STB, Dr Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor during her welcoming speech.

Themed “Youth: Many Ways, One Planet”, RAYS 2026 reflects the belief that despite diverse perspectives, disciplines and experiences, the youth share a collective responsibility and opportunity to shape sustainable futures. New for RAYS 2026 is the Planet Futures Forum, a collaborative climate simulation designed to immerse youth in the realities of how climate decisions are made. The Planet Futures Forum aims to build youth capacity in design thinking, negotiation, and collective decision-making, while producing a negotiated RAYS Youth Declaration that reflects the complexities of balancing environmental, social, and economic priorities.

Outcomes from the Planet Futures Forum will extend beyond the summit through the RAYS Fellowship Programme, a new 12-month leadership journey focused on collective climate governance and action. The fellowship will bring together 10 – 15 young leaders ready to engage in real decision-making processes and shared governance practice. Rooted in the principle of “Many Ways, One Planet,” the programme creates space for diverse youth voices to co-design solutions, learn from indigenous and local knowledge holders, and contribute to governance proposals emerging from RAYS.

Over the course of a year, fellows will co-design governance structures grounded in community legitimacy, practise shared decision-making in real organisational or community contexts, strengthen their ability to lead across differences, and translate summit dialogue into applied action. The fellowship begins at RAYS 2026 and continues through guided monthly online learning sessions, applied governance work, and collaborative cohort engagement.

To further support inclusive participation, applications for the RAYS ASEAN Access Fund are now open. Designed to ensure that passionate and committed young people across the ASEAN region can participate regardless of financial barriers, selected delegates will receive support in the form of flight and accommodation offsets. Applications close on 30 March 2026, and interested candidates are encouraged to apply via the RAYS website at https://www.rainforestyouthsummit.com/

Also present at the launching of RAYS 2026, Deputy Ministers for MTCP, Datuk Sebastian Ting and Datuk Snowdan Lawan, Deputy Ministers for MYSED, Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu and Datuk Dr Ripin Lamat, MTCP Permanent Secretary, Morshidi Fredrick, MYSED Permanent Secretary, Dzulkornain Masron and Chairman of STB, Dato Dennis Ngau.

During a press conference after the launching, Dato Sri Abdul Karim also shared updates on visitors’ arrival into Sarawak for 2026. In January this year, Sarawak welcomed a total of 437,677 visitors, marking a growth of 9.27% compared to 400,531 visitors received in January 2025. Of the figure, 247,063 visitors were foreigners while 190,614 visitors were domestic, showing growth of 5.85% and 14.05% respectively. Meanwhile, Sarawak records a growth of 8.83% in tourism receipts for January 2026, bringing in RM1,115,887,453.81 compared to RM1,025,391,859.33 for January 2025.

Ticket Pricing for RAYS 2026

Early Bird Pass: RM 200 | 1 February – 15 March 2026
General Pass: RM 350 | First-time delegates
Alumni Pass: RM 250 | Returning delegates
Group Pass: RM 250 per person | Minimum 10 participants (Schools, universities, and youth organisations)
Kuching Group Pass (Kuching based institutions or organisations interested in sending a group delegation of 20+ pax, may contact register@rainforestyouthsummit.com)