OVER a thousand regional delegates from some 50 countries are expected to take part in the 57th International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) World Congress in Penang next year.
The congress is set to be a platform for the delegates to share issues, ideas and inspiration pertaining to the profession of landscape architecture.
The Institute of Landscape Architects Malaysia (ILAM) president Assoc Prof Dr Suhardi Maulan said that IFLA was founded to ensure that landscape architects move coherently and cohesively with the requirements of the society.
“We are concern about the wellbeing of the people, environment and the economy.
“The world congress will feature 10 exciting events including the IFLA World Landscape Architects Summit 2020. The theme of the summit is ‘Future Tense’.
“The summit will play a leading role in forecasting future concerns and pursuing landscape architecture-based solutions.
“Four sub-themes, namely ‘Finite Resources’, ‘Homogenous Culture & Diverse Population’, ‘Transient Living’ and ‘Natural Disaster: Expect the Unexpected’, have been chosen as the base for discussion.
“We expect issues related to the sub-themes to be explored and discussed. We hope that the delegates can provide solutions and ideas to achieve a more liveable and sustainable future, in line with the Penang2030 vision,” he told a press conference in Komtar today.
The IFLA World Landscape Architects Summit 2020 is scheduled to be held from Aug 13 to 15 next year (2020) at several areas in George Town. The opening ceremony and keynote sessions are scheduled to be held at St Giles Wembley Hotel on Aug 13 next year (2020).
The other exciting events include the IFLA World Exco Meeting, IFLA World Council Meeting, International Student Charrette, International Student Design Competition and many more.
The pre-congress events are scheduled to begin from Aug 10 next year (2020).
State Tourism Development, Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin said the state was happy to host the congress.
“We believe that Penang is the best place to be a backdrop for the event because the state is embedded with beauty and pleasure in the form of historical city, traditional villages, parks, gardens, agriculture lands and natural landscapes. We also have many cultural groups that live, work and play in Penang.
“The question is how Penang can grow further economically without jeopardising its fragile ecosystem and unique cultural heritage?
“We believe that landscape architects who are concern about the sustainability of built and natural environment will have a lot to offer to the state on how to solve these delicate issues during the summit,” Yeoh said.
The congress is jointly organised by ILAM and IFLA, and co-organised by the National Landscape Department of the Ministry of Federal Territories.
Also present at the press conference were IFLA president James Hayter, National Landscape Department of the Ministry of Federal Territories director-general Rotina Mohd Daik, Penang Island City Council secretary Datuk Addnan Mohd Razali, Seberang Perai Municipal Council landscape architect Shaqhrony Md Yusoff, Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MYCEB) business events director Tan Mei Phing and Penang Convention and Exhibition Bureau (PCEB) chief executive officer Ashwin Gunasekeran.
Story by Christopher Tan
Pix by Law Suun Ting