KUCHING: About 600 participants from 13 countries, namely Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam, Myanmar, Philippines, Brunei, China, Korea and Malaysia, are expected to participate in the 13th Asia Pacific Orchid Conference (APOC13) to be held for five days at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here from 24 to 28 July 2019.
The participants are expected to comprise 300 international participants and 300 local participants (200 participants from Sarawak and 100 participants from Peninsular Malaysia. Among the expected participants are orchid growers, researchers, orchid enthusiasts and students from higher learning institutes. “Sarawak State Government won the bidding to host the APOC 13 during the 11th APOC in Okinawa in 2013.
With that, Kuching City will be the first city in Malaysia to host APOC 13, which will be held for five days from 24- 28 July 2019 at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK),” disclosed DBKU Mayor Datuk Abang Abdul Wahap Abang Julai during a press conference at DBKU City Library here yesterday. The theme for APOC 13 is “Cultural Exchange Through Orchid”.
The objective of APOC 13 is for the conservation of orchids in achieving an international cooperation for trend in development in the Asia Pacific Region. The conference proper will be held for two days on 25-26 July 2019 featuring 35 renowned speakers who are experts in orchids.
Amo n g t h e t o p i c s a n d papers to be discussed and presented are Conservation, Orchid Industry, Research and Development, Orchid Industry/ Marketing / Po s t Ha r v e s t / Orchid Business, Conservation/ Taxonomy/Habitats, Research and Development, Cultivation/ Propagation, Maintenance, and Conservation/Tourism.
There will also be talks on Import/Export Regulations and CITES/Orchid Poaching, Hobby/ Landscaping/Photography/ Publication, and Craft/Products Related to Orchids. There will also be poster presentations. Among the display and competition that will take place during APOC 13 are International and local orchid landscape display, cut flower competition and display, individual orchid competition and display and container competition and display. Other activities include Orchid flower arrangement and maintenance workshop, Horticulture and Agriculture bazaar, Orchid run, Musical Orchid, Orchid Fashion Competition, Children Orchid Discovery, Orchid craft and art, Orchid Fashion Show and Orchid Workshop.
“We strongly believe that through this event, it will promote Kuching, Sarawak to the rest of the world for hosting APOC 13 and to boost ecotourism. Apart from that, to introduce Kuching City and Sarawak as a prestigious conference destination and also as a platform to create international collaboration in orchid’s R&D, conservation, commercialization and orchid horticulture especially in the Asia Pacific Region.
“In addition, to promote awareness and development of the hybridization, cultivation, science and conservation of orchids and to support research in these fields, as well as 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,” said Abdul Wahap. He added that registration is still open and can be done online at the website, www.apoc13. com and through DBKU email at apoc2019@dbku.com.my. The conference for early bird is priced at RM200 for Malaysians and USD150 for foreigners which is available until 31 Januar y 2019.
