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By DayakDaily Team KUCHING, Nov 1: A delegation from Sarawak—led by Minister for Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who is also the Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts—went on a technical visit to FC Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain, to learn how Catalonia integrates sports, culture, and tourism within one ecosystem. According to a press release, the delegation was received by FC Barcelona’s management team led by Cèsar Martínez, Director of New Business, Logística i Desplaçaments. FC Barcelona is one of the world’s most famous football clubs and stands as a proud symbol of Catalonia. He briefed the delegation on the history of the club, the scale of its operations, and the planning of the new stadium. During the session, Abdul Karim introduced Sarawak as the largest State in Malaysia and one of 14 states in the federation—emphasising its abundance in natural resources and cultural diversity, with 34 ethnic groups living in harmony. He explained that Sarawak aims to become a sports powerhouse for Malaysia, and that the energy and creativity of Sarawak’s youth are vital for the future. “The youth are our strength and our future. Their energy and talent must be nurtured through sports,” he said. Abdul Karim also highlighted that football is the most popular sport in Sarawak and across Malaysia. “Sports unite people. Just as Barcelona represents Catalonia, sports in Sarawak bring our diverse communities together,” he said. The minister added that the visit offered valuable lessons on how a sports institution can drive culture, community pride, and economic growth. He said that insights gained from FC Barcelona will guide Sarawak’s efforts to build its own sports culture and strengthen its creative and tourism industries. The technical visit to FC Barcelona formed part of the Sarawak delegation’s official working visit to Spain, held in conjunction with Sarawak’s participation in the International Council on Archives (ICA) Congress 2025 in Barcelona. Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts, Datuk Snowdan Lawan; Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development, Datuk Dr Ripin Lamat; Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts (MTCP) permanent secretary, Datu Sherrina Hussaini; Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development permanent secretary, Morshidi Fredrick; and Business Events Sarawak chief executive officer, Amelia Roziman, were among those present. — DayakDaily
