KUCHING, 26 June 2026: The third edition of the Rainforest Youth Summit (RAYS) 2026 officially opened on Wednesday in Kuching, bringing together youth leaders, advocates, researchers, students, emerging policymakers and sustainability practitioners from across ASEAN and beyond for three days of dialogue.
Held from 24 to 26 June 2026 under the theme “Youth: Many Ways, One Planet,” RAYS 2026 reinforces Sarawak’s growing role as a regional platform for youth leadership, sustainability dialogue, environmental stewardship and responsible tourism.
This year’s participation reflects a strong diversity of youth voices from across all 11 ASEAN countries and the wider international community, including new representation from Timor-Leste, alongside delegates from varied disciplines, communities and lived experiences.
The summit builds on the success of its previous editions, which collectively convened youth participants from 37 countries, engaged over 80 organisations and brought together diverse voices across disciplines and regions. In its third edition, RAYS continues to evolve beyond dialogue by strengthening youth participation in climate governance, applied learning and long-term sustainability action.
The opening ceremony was officiated by YB Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak and Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Sarawak.
In his officiating remarks, he said: “The future cannot be built for youth without youth. RAYS 2026 is a meeting point between youth leadership, environmental stewardship, indigenous knowledge, science, creativity, policy, culture and community, a platform for young people to move from concern to contribution.”
Organised by the Sarawak Tourism Board, RAYS 2026 is designed as a platform for youth, Indigenous leaders, scientists, and changemakers to exchange knowledge and co-create solutions.
Throughout the three-day 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 three-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 Dr Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor, Chief Executive Officer of Sarawak Tourism Board.
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 negotiation, 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 youth voices are heard 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 connections among 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.
For more information, visit: https://www.sarawaktourism.com/web/home/index/
(Source: Your Stories — Sarawak Tourism Board)
