Business events industry players are called on to participate in theprestigious Borneo Inspires Legacy Awards (BILA) 2025, celebrating winners who helped shape a lasting impact in their fields of expertise.

The Awards, hosted by Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak), will honour exceptional contributions across the business events sector, highlighting achievements in legacy, sustainability, and innovation.

Those eligible to participate include business event (corporate meetings, conventions, corporate incentives, exhibitions) organisers, government sector, corporate organisations, industry partners and suppliers, journalists, and other professionals from Malaysia and around the world.

With 18 awards up for grabs, spread across five categories, BILA aims to honour individuals and organisations for their initiatives that are making a lasting impact on Sarawak:

The four main categories – which are Conventions Legacy Excellence, Exhibitions Legacy Excellence, Corporate Meetings & Incentives Corporate Social Responsibility and Sarawak Industry – share the same subcategory pillar whereby submissions can be focused on Social, Economic or Environmental achievements; or Honorary, which consist of all three achievements.

Categories:

l   Conventions Legacy Excellence

Subcategories: Economic, Environmental, Social and Honorary (Honorary encompasses all threeeconomic, environmental, and social achievements)

l  Exhibitions Legacy Excellence

Subcategories: Economic, Environmental, Social and Honorary (Honorary encompasses all three economic, environmental, and social achievements)

l  Corporate Meetings & Incentives Corporate Social Responsibility Subcategories: Economic,Environmental, Social and Honorary (Honorary encompasses all three economic, environmental, and social achievements)

l  Sarawak Industry

Subcategories:     Economic,     Environmental,     Social,     Honorary     (Honorary encompasses all three economic, environmental, and social achievements)

l  Journalism

Subcategories: Broadcast, Print/Online

Submissions for BILA 2025 are currently open until 15 June 2025, inviting nominees from various sectors to showcase their efforts in creating positive, enduring legacies.

"Sarawak is redefining the future of business events — where collaboration, legacy, and sustainability drive transformative change. This is our chance to recognise those who contribute to the success of the development of Sarawak, in line with the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 as well as United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs),” said The Hon. Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts.

“With so many strategic partners worldwide making a meaningful impact on Sarawak’s business events sector, it is timely to celebrate and acknowledge their contributions on an international stage.”

Being in the final year of the Legacy Impact Master Action Plan 2023-2025, Dato Sri Abang Haji Abdul Karim bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg, Chairman of BESarawak said BILA serves to bring recognition and prestige to legacy impacts across industries as part of its brand-new homegrown event, LEGACY360.

“Every successful business event is powered by visionary leaders and industry trailblazers, working together to create lasting impact not just for Sarawak, but for Malaysia and the world. As we shape the industry with purpose-driven initiatives, it's essential to honor the changemakers behind these efforts—those who turnevents into movements and ideas into legacies.

“This strategic direction positions Sarawak as the legacy capital of business events in Malaysia and Borneo. We’re calling on forward-thinkers who go beyond event hosting

— to those who forge legacies that empower communities, elevate industries, and inspire future generations.”

Amelia Roziman, CEO of BESarawak, encourages all industry stakeholders to participate and submit their entries for the awards.

“We encourage all industry stakeholders to submit and nominate, not only Sarawakians but anyone, anywhere in the world can take part in BILA 2025.

“We hope to continue promoting collaboration and inclusivity in building the legacy impact of business events. The more voices we have, the stronger we are in advocating legacy impact of business events.”