Sarawak has officially received the hosting rights for the International Council on Archives (ICA) Conference 2027, marking a proud moment for Malaysia and a historic first for Sarawak as the host destination. The momentous handover took place in Barcelona, Spain, during the closing ceremony of the ICA Congress 2025, where The Honourable Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Sarawak’s Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, formally accepted the hosting rights on behalf of Sarawak.
This milestone represents the second time Malaysia will host an ICA event, and the first-ever for Sarawak, positioning the state as a rising hub for international conferences in the region. The upcoming ICA 2027 Conference, to be held from 1–5 November 2027 at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK), is expected to attract more than 1,000 delegates from around the world, including representatives from government agencies, archival institutions, policymakers, and academia.
ICA 2027 will shine a spotlight on Sarawak’s and Malaysia’s shared commitment to heritage preservation, cultural diversity, and digital transformation, aligning with the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030. The event will also serve as a platform for global dialogue on innovations and challenges in archival science, reinforcing Malaysia’s position as a key player in the international archival community.
“The Ministry of National Unity Malaysia is dedicated to integrating the conference into our national vision, ensuring the platform powerfully showcases Malaysia’s rich, diverse heritage and reinforces our cultural and historical connections with the international archival community. In Malaysia, the importance of preserving our heritage, our documents, our stories, our digital records is an act of national unity,” said Dato’ Haslina binti Abdul Hamid, Secretary General of the Ministry of National Unity Malaysia.
As the world’s leading organisation dedicated to advancing archival and records management, the International Council on Archives (ICA) plays a vital role in safeguarding humanity’s collective memory. Its biennial conferences gather professionals from around the globe to share insights, strengthen international collaboration, and promote the value of archives in preserving global heritage.
“ICA’s mission is about carrying legacies forward, and as the legacy capital of business events in Malaysia and Borneo, Sarawak is proud to carry the torch for 2027,” said The Honourable Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah during the ceremony. “We hope this conference will open new opportunities to develop more national and local collaborations on archives, so that the legacies we preserve today continue to inspire generations to come.”
Echoing this sentiment, Amelia Roziman, CEO of Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak), highlighted the strong teamwork that made Sarawak’s successful bid possible. “We are proud of the collaboration between federal and state partners that made ICA 2027 a reality. It’s an honour to be part of ICA’s legacy, and we hope this event will inspire archive professionals across Malaysia to create enduring legacies for their communities and the nation,” she said.
Malaysia’s successful bid to host the ICA 2027 Conference in Kuching was initiated in 2024 and driven by a strong multi-agency collaboration led by the Sarawak State Library and the National Archives of Malaysia, with firm support from both Federal and Sarawak Government agencies, as well as academic institutions. Among the key partners were the Office of the Premier of Sarawak, Ministry of National Unity Malaysia, Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak), Sarawak Tourism Board, Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sarawak Branch, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), University of Technology Sarawak (UTS), and the Sabah State Archives.
The ICA Conference 2027 will be co-organised by the Sarawak State Library, the National Archives of Malaysia, and the International Council on Archives (ICA). As Sarawak steps into the global spotlight, the event is set to not only advance archival science but also celebrate Malaysia’s cultural legacy — ensuring that the stories, knowledge, and history of today continue to shape the world of tomorrow.