KUALA LUMPUR, 30 January 2018: For the very first time in Southeast Asia, the 10th International Conference on Isotopes & Expo (10ICI) will make its way to Malaysia’s capital city, Kuala Lumpur in 2020 to gather world’s leaders and best researchers in isotope technology and applications for interaction, discussion of the latest research as well as sustainable development in the field. This bid won marks a great start for Malaysia, as 2018 is set to be a banner year for the country in hosting world conferences.
The five-day event scheduled from 3rd – 7th February 2020 will attract over 1,000 participants and is organised by the World Council on Isotopes (WCI) following a successful bid by Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), an agency under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia, working alongside strategic local organiser, Malaysia Nuclear Agency (Nuklear Malaysia), a national research institutes under the purview of Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovations (MOSTI). This conference is expected to generate an estimated RM3.38 million in economic impact.
According to the Chief Executive Officer of MyCEB, Datuk Zulkefli Hj. Sharif, the conference is a great platform and opportunity for Malaysia to establish itself as the regional hub for education and training in the field of nuclear science and technology.
"The 10th International Conference on Isotopes and Expo will benefit the country in achieving a high-income developed nation status by 2020. This conference is an excellent platform for Malaysia to discover new technologies and innovation that helps to improve processes and economic sector for societal and national welfare of our community," said Datuk Zulkefli.
He added, "Being the first ASEAN country to be selected as the host for this conference will provide an opportunity for Malaysia to showcase its capabilities and capacities in research and development, particularly in the nuclear and related technologies. The benefits of hosting this conference extend beyond tourism gains, as it amplifies other benefits to Malaysia, such as knowledge and technology transfer, enhancing Malaysia’s reputation as a knowledge and creative hub, as well as raising the potential of trade and investment in the related technology sector."
Malaysia managed to secure the bid for 10ICI 2020 at the final evaluation by WCI Selection Committee held at Doha, Qatar after successfully meeting the stringent requirements and presenting the very best of Malaysia as the strategic destination in the ASEAN region and its expertise in the field of isotopes. This conference is held every three years and had previously been hosted around the world which includes Beijing, Sydney, Vancouver, Cape Town, Brussels, Seoul, Moscow, Chicago and Doha.
Senior Director of Commercialisation & Technology Planning Program at Malaysia Nuclear Agency, Dato’ Dr. Zulkifli Mohamed Hashim who presented Malaysia’s proposal at Doha, Qatar said, "Hosting the 10th ICI2020 in Kuala Lumpur will attract participation from renowned scientists around the world. By having strong support from the relevant ministries, universities and industries players will ensure the successfulness of this event. Isotopes’ applications can be found widely in the medical field as well as for industry, environmental and agriculture sectors."
Malaysia is set to host several world congresses in 2018, starting with the United Nations' 9th Session of the World Urban Forum 9 (WUF9) in February, the 22nd Biennial Congress of the World Council of Enterostomal Therapists (WCET) 2018, the WORDLCHEFS Congress & Expo in July, the 84th World Library and Information Congress 2018 in August, and the 2018 World Cancer Congress and the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) World Congress 2018 in October.
