The first Legacy Event Advocacy Policy (LEAP) Summit recently ended in Malaysia with the adoption of the Borneo Legacy Declaration. The declaration sets out a framework for measuring and supporting the long-term benefits of business events, beyond short-term economic impact.
The summit was organised by The Iceberg, presented by the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC), and powered by Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak). It gathered government and industry leaders from Australia, Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, the UK and Malaysia.
Three priorities for event “legacy”
The declaration commits destinations and organisations to place legacy goals at the centre of event planning. It promotes three priorities: encouraging governments and organisers to treat events as tools for social and economic development; creating a shared framework to measure impact; and embedding legacy criteria in public funding and policy decisions.
“Measurement must evolve, sustainability must be mandatory, and business events must be recognised as instruments of policy,” said Datu Hii Chang Kee, deputy Sarawak state secretary (Operation), acting chairman of BESarawak, and chairman of the LEAP Summit. “The successful conclusion of the LEAP Summit and the subsequent declaration reinforce Sarawak’s position as the legacy capital of business events in Malaysia and Borneo.”
BESarawak CEO Amelia Roziman said: “The more we come together, the stronger the global business events community becomes.”
GainingEdge executive chairman and summit moderator Gary Grimmer added: “Transformation cannot happen without the right policy framework. The government’s support is essential in embedding legacy and sustainability into the DNA of business events.”
James Latham, founder of The Iceberg and summit co-moderator, said: “The declaration stands as proof that when government and industry leaders collaborate, we can chart a clear, shared path towards a more resilient and purpose-driven future.”
The declaration aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and calls for business events to be recognised as a formal industry sector.
