Program & Speakers

BorneoCraft Global 2.0 Programme

The BorneoCraft Global 2.0 (BCG 2.0) Conference 2026 themed “Crafting Tradition and Innovation” brings together international speakers, masterclasses, assemblies and the Waterfront Expo across five days in Kuching — empowering artisans while celebrating cultural heritage.

Expo

Waterfront, Kuching, Sarawak
25 – 29 November 2026
9:00 AM – 9:00 PM daily

Conference

Riverside Majestic Hotel Ballroom
25 – 27 November 2026

Gala Dinner

Amity Venue at UNIFOR Complex
27 November 2026 (Fri)
7:30 – 10:00 PM

Day 1 — Wednesday, 25 November 2026

Conference · Riverside Majestic Hotel Ballroom · Expo open 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Time	Programme
8:30 AM	Registration Opens
10:00 – 11:30 AM	Official Launch Programme & Keynote Address
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM	Lunch Break
1:00 – 2:00 PM	Craft Tales (Legacy Stories, Meaning, Cultural Values) Chairperson: Datu Dr. Rashidah Bolhassan Dr Joseph Lo — Crafts Story Telling Dr Analyn Salvador Amores — Bulol Rice Field Guardians of Philippines Ahmed Alfarsi — The ‘Khanjar’ Daggers of Oman
2:00 – 3:00 PM	Craft Techniques (Old and New) Chairperson: Melia Linggi Asif Shaikh — Indian embroidery Dr Sitthichai Smanchat — Innovating Thai Craft Techniques Om Prakash Galav — Ramgarh Terracotta Ceramics of India
3:00 – 3:30 PM	Tea Break
3:30 – 4:30 PM	Craft Resources (Raw Material, Old and New) Chairperson: Elaine Chan Jude Van Der Merwe — Tradition and Innovation in Australian First Nations Craft Xie Ziguo — Linshu Wicker Works of China Barbara Velasco Tallia — The Latin America Experience
4:30 – 5:30 PM	Craft Art (Individual, Community) Chairperson: Dr Musdi Shanat Marcos Kueh — Sarawak Expressions in Textile Art Anusit Pound — The Story of “Siam Celadon” Cilau Valadez — Huichol Yarn Paintings of Mexico
7:00 – 9:00 PM	Official Opening of BorneoCraft Global (Waterfront)

Day 2 — Thursday, 26 November 2026

Conference · Riverside Majestic Hotel Ballroom · Expo open 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Time	Programme
9:00 – 10:30 AM	Craft Market (Local, Global) Chairperson: Diana Rose Manjari Nirula — From Melas to Global Markets Royal Selangor Malaysia — From The Tin Miners to a Global Brand Le Ba Ngoc — Viet-Craft Lucia Catanes — Narda’s of Philippines
10:30 – 11:00 AM	Tea Break
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM	Craft Patrons Chairperson: Melinda Omar Dr. Surapee Rojanavongse — Royal Patronage Maribel Ongpin — The HABI Council Annual Competition for Piña and Abaca Textiles in Philippines Dr David McLanahan — A Lifetime of Collecting and Supporting Sarawak Craft Artists
12:00 – 1:00 PM	Craft Futures (Exhibitions, Branding, AI, Online) Chairperson: Datin Valerie Mashman Romain Juilha — Revelations Biennale Paris and Shanghai, China Digna Cruzen Ryan — The “Spirit of Asia” experience in Marketing Myanmar lacquerware Andrea Tomasi — Homo Faber Biennale, Venice
1:00 – 2:00 PM	Lunch Break
2:00 – 3:00 PM	Craft Education (Next Gen, Youth) Chairperson: Datin Dayang Mariani Abang-Zain HRH Ratu Kenjang Hemas, Jogjakarta — Batik School Indonesia Aidarkhan Kaliyev — Aspara School of Design, Kazakhstan Dr Nadianatra Musa — CENTEXS and Crafts Education in Sarawak, Malaysia
3:00 – 4:00 PM	Craft Tourism Chairperson: Audrey Wan Ullok James Cho of Zhouye Indigo Farm, Miaoli, Taiwan Aziz Murtazaev, Margilan Uzbekistan — The Silk Road crafts Prach Niyomkar of Manncraft — Eco Resort, Sakon Nakhon Thailand
4:00 – 5:00 PM	Conclusion and Summary Edric Ong

Day 3 — Friday, 27 November 2026

Conference assemblies, workshops & Gala Dinner · Expo open 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Time	Programme
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM	Workshops & Masterclasses Parallel: AHPADA (ASEAN Handicraft Promotion & Development Association) Assembly
12:00 – 2:00 PM	Lunch Break
2:00 – 5:00 PM	Workshops & Masterclasses Parallel: APCA (Asia-Pacific Craft Alliance) Assembly
7:30 – 10:00 PM	Gala Dinner AHPADA Awards Global Crafts & Fashion Showcase Venue: Amity Venue at UNIFOR Complex

Day 4 — Saturday, 28 November 2026

Cultural visits · Masterclasses · Expo open 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Time	Programme
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Cultural Visits Borneo Cultures Museum Tun Jugah Museum Sarawak Cultural Village
All day	BorneoCraft Global Expo continues at the Waterfront (9:00 AM – 9:00 PM)
See Masterclasses tab	International Artists Masterclass Programme at Sarawak Craft Council

Time

Programme

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Cultural Visits

Borneo Cultures Museum
Tun Jugah Museum
Sarawak Cultural Village

All day

BorneoCraft Global Expo continues at the Waterfront (9:00 AM – 9:00 PM)

See Masterclasses tab

International Artists Masterclass Programme at Sarawak Craft Council

Optional post-forum tours: Ulu Ai Conservancy (Borneo Adventure) or Gedong Kain Songket community (Seri Gedong Songket).

Day 5 — Sunday, 29 November 2026

Community visits · Masterclasses · Expo open 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Time	Programme
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Community Visits Anah Rais Longhouse Serikin Bazaar and Basketry Community
All day	BorneoCraft Global Expo continues at the Waterfront (9:00 AM – 9:00 PM)
See Masterclasses tab	International Artists Masterclass Programme at Sarawak Craft Council

Time

Programme

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Community Visits

Anah Rais Longhouse
Serikin Bazaar and Basketry Community

All day

BorneoCraft Global Expo continues at the Waterfront (9:00 AM – 9:00 PM)

See Masterclasses tab

International Artists Masterclass Programme at Sarawak Craft Council

Masterclass by International Artists

Venue: Sarawak Craft Council

Saturday, 28 November 2026

Time	Class
9:00 – 11:00 AM	Pottery — Om Prakash, India
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM	Embroidery — Asif Shaikh, India
1:00 – 2:00 PM	Lunch Break
2:00 – 4:00 PM	Indigo Dye — James Cho, Taiwan
4:00 – 6:00 PM	Cotton Spinning and Tablet Weaving — Prach Niyomkar, Thailand

Sunday, 29 November 2026

Time	Class
9:00 – 11:00 AM	Beadwork Embroidery — Napapat Setbubopha, Phuket, Thailand
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM	Gold Embroidery — Ajin Khounphithack, Laos
1:00 – 2:00 PM	Lunch Break
2:00 – 4:00 PM	Huichol Yarn Painting — Cilau Valadez, Mexico

Craft Interactive

Hands-on sessions for visitors during the Expo

Thursday, 26 November 2026 · Main Stage

Time	Activity
9:30 – 10:00 AM	Registration
10:00 – 10:05 AM	Brief Introduction
10:05 – 10:20 AM	Demonstration of Basic Loom Beading Techniques
10:20 AM – 12:00 PM	Loom Beaded Bracelet
12:00 PM	End of Session

Friday, 27 November 2026 · Sarawak Craft Council

Time	Activity
9:30 – 10:00 AM	Registration
10:00 – 10:05 AM	Brief Introduction
10:05 – 10:20 AM	Demonstration of Basic Batik Colouring Techniques
10:20 AM – 12:00 PM	Batik Colouring
12:00 PM	End of Session
1:30 – 2:00 PM	Registration
2:00 – 2:05 PM	Brief Introduction
2:05 – 2:20 PM	Demonstration of Basic Ceramic Product Painting Techniques
2:20 – 4:00 PM	Ceramic Painting
4:00 PM	End of Session

Saturday, 28 November 2026 · Main Stage

Time	Activity
1:30 – 2:00 PM	Registration
2:00 – 2:05 PM	Brief Introduction
2:05 – 2:20 PM	Demonstration of Basic Weaving Techniques
2:20 – 4:00 PM	Weaving Session
4:00 PM	End of Session