KUCHING: The 13th Asia Pacific Orchid Conference (Apoc) will be held in Kuching this coming July, making Sarawak its first venue in Malaysia.
This event is jointly organised by the Sarawak state government, Apoc Trust and Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) to promote Kuching and Sarawak to the rest of the world that would also boost ecotourism in alignment with “Visit Sarawak 2019”.
The Apoc 13 will be held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) for seven days and divided into two stages whereby the first one is open to public (free admission) for five days (24-28 July) and another two days (25-26 July) for the Conference on Apoc 13.
In a press conference today at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here, Deputy State Secretary Datuk Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki told reporters that the event is to introduce Kuching City and Sarawak as a platform for prestigious conference destination.
“The Apoc 13 is a platform to create international collaboration in orchid’s research and development, conservation, commercialisation and orchid horticulture especially in the Asia Pacific Region,” he said.
He also stated the event is to boost awareness and development of the hybridisation, cultivation, science and conservation of orchids and to support research in these fields.
“This is to encourage new discovery of Borneo orchids from Sarawak and to highlight its orchid scenario which is home to 300 orchid species from 148 genera with large biodiversity potential,” he pointed out.
Apoc was established in 1982 by Apoc Trust. The event is hosted by rotation once in three years and this year’s theme for Apoc 13 is “Cultural Exchange through Orchids”.
Apoc aims to achieve an international cooperation for trend in development and conservation of orchids in the Asia Pacific Region.
Acclaimed as one of the best orchid shows in the region, Apoc 13 will feature many exciting activities throughout the one-week event.
The grand highlight will be the orchid landscape competition which will see orchid experts cum exhibitors from more than 14 countries competing for the best orchid landscape display.
In his speech, Abu Bakar said Apoc 13 will be held from 24 – 25 July (five days) and international participants confirmed coming are from countries such as Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam, Myanmar, The Philippines, Brunei, China and Korea apart from host country Malaysia.
Apoc 13 Orchid Show will be open to members of the public for free during this duration and besides orchid landscape display, activities such as competition will be facilitated by Orchidwoods Company.
Competitions listed for the event consist of international and local orchid landscape display, cut flower competition and display, individual orchid competition and display as well as container garden competition and display.
Meanwhile, for the second stage, a conference will be conducted for two days on the 25 – 26 July with around 40 speakers being expected to share their knowledge and expertise on relevant topics including conservation, taxonomy, habitats, tourism, orchid industry, research and development, cultivation and propagation, maintenance, import and export regulation.
“We are expecting renowned keynote speakers, Dr Teoh Eng Soon from Singapore and Dr Saw Lwin from Myanmar for Apoc 13,” said Abu Bakar.
“Dr Teoh Eng Soon is the former president of Orchid Society of Southeast Asia (Ossea) and a former editor of the Malayan Orchid Review. His keynote paper will be on ‘Orchid as Aphrodisiacs’,” he said.
He also said Dr Saw keynote papers on “Regional Conservation Initiative”, adding that he is also vice-president of the Myanmar Floriculturist Association and Committee Member of Ecosystem Conservation and Community Development Initiative.
“In the Apoc 13 conference, we are expecting 300 international participants and currently the confirmed registered participants are from Australia, Canada, China, USA, Taiwan, Thailand, Ecuador, India and New Zealand.
“Another 200 participants from Sarawak and 100 participants from peninsular Malaysia, would make an overall number of 600 participants for the conference,” said Abu Bakar.
He also said that among the expected participants are orchid enthusiasts, researchers, orchid growers and students from higher learning institutes.
Besides that, Apoc 13 will include side activities as well as food vendor and market place, and among them are exhibitors from Taiwan, Japan, Thailand and Ecuador that are confirmed to be selling orchids there.
Apoc 13 is supported by the Sarawak Convention Bureau and the Sarawak Tourism Board and assisted by Sarawak Development Institute, Orchidwoods Company and Borneo Convention Centre Kuching.
