AIU students join regional youth leaders at Rainforest Youth Summit 2025 in Sarawak

ALOR SETAR, 25 June 2025 – Five students from Albukhary International University (AIU) recently joined over 700 young changemakers from across ASEAN and beyond at the Rainforest Youth Summit 2025 in Kuching, Sarawak.

 
Held in the heart of Malaysian Borneo from 18 – 20 June 2025, the summit brought together youth leaders committed to addressing environmental and social challenges with practical solutions grounded in equity and sustainability.

Representing AIU’s GreenEers Club, the student delegates, Maznah Binti Roslan, from the School of Education and Human Sciences (SEHS), Tiara Salsabila and Nensy Setyaningrum from the School of Business and Social Sciences (SBSS), Ahmad Faiz Najmi Bin Muhammad Azmi and Thinley Yeshey Choden from the School of Computing and Informatics (SCI). They were accompanied by the Club’s Advisor, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Frederik Holst. Their participation was made possible through the support of the Penang Green Council and AIU’s Centre for Student Affairs and Alumni.

The summit was officiated by YB Dato’ Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts and Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development, Sarawak.

 
Over three days, AIU students immersed themselves in hands-on workshops, simulation exercises, and intimate dialogues with youth leaders, Indigenous advocates, artists, and environmental professionals. Among the highlights were workshops on community-led conservation, regenerative tourism, and inclusive climate advocacy. The students explored how creative media, traditional ecological knowledge, and participatory planning can drive meaningful, inclusive environmental action.

One standout session featured Panamanian activist, Diwigdi Valiente, where participants were challenged to develop sustainable tourism plans that reflect the needs of both people and ecosystems. In another, Dr. Erika Cuéllar Soto led a discussion on the vital role of Indigenous and marginalized communities in youth-led climate action.

The summit also offered students a platform to expand their global networks and deepen their understanding of the region’s environmental issues. Encounters with grassroots leaders like Izzy Sasada, a journalist working at the intersection of storytelling and climate justice, left a lasting impression on the AIU delegation.

From crafting activist zines with Sarawakian visual artist Bethany Luhong Balan to learning the intricacies of Indigenous crafts, the summit experience was both reflective and forward-looking. The students returned to AIU with renewed energy and concrete ideas to enhance the university’s sustainability initiatives.