SANDAKAN: Friends of Sea Turtles Education & Research (FOSTER) proudly announces that the Third Edition of the Sepilok Jazz Programme will take place on September 6 and 7, 2024.
FOSTER President, Mr. Alexander Yee, stated that this edition would be special with the introduction of the first jazz academy in Sandakan.
According to Alexander Yee, the programme aims not only to present quality jazz entertainment but also to provide opportunities for talented Sandakan youth in the field of jazz music.
“We hope this programme can unearth the talents of young individuals in Sandakan and give them the chance to develop their potential in the world of jazz music,” he said.
Moreover, this Third Edition of the Sepilok Jazz Programme is organised to not only emphasise education about jazz music for the youth, but it is also meant to raise awareness about the importance of love and conservation of sea turtle life.
“We believe that through the joy and uniqueness of the Sepilok Jazz Programme, we can not only entertain the audience but also instill love and awareness of the protection of sea turtles among the younger generation,” he added.
Alexander also stated that the organisation of Sepilok Jazz is not just about entertainment.
“We want to ensure that the conservation and sustainability message continues to be conveyed to the community. Endangered sea turtle species must continue to receive attention, and we strive to involve the community in these conservation efforts,” he said.
In a statement following a meeting with the Chief Executive Officer of the Sabah Tourism Board (STB), Mr. Julinus Jeffrey Jimit, last Friday, Alexander was pleased to again receive full support from STB for this programme.
“We appreciate the Sabah Tourism Board for their continuing support, and we will be meeting up with several other agencies and companies, such as Tourism Malaysia, Air Asia, and MASWings, to seek their involvement as well.
“We are certain that the Third Edition of the Sepilok Jazz Programme will be successful, and it will make a significant contribution to the conservation and rescue efforts for sea turtles on Libaran Island,” he explained.
FOSTER hopes that this programme will not only be a successful tourism event but also a significant source of funds to carry out sea turtle conservation and egg hatching activities on the island of Libaran.
With community involvement and full support from various parties, they believe the success of this programme will have a positive impact on the sustainability of the environment and the increasingly endangered marine life heritage.
For your information, in collaboration with the Sabah Wildlife Department, FOSTER has been conducting sea turtle protection programmes on Libaran Island since 2011. This initiative has won the “Best Tourism Product” award at the Sabah Tourism Awards 2019, the ASEAN Sustainable Tourism Award 2022 by Tourism Malaysia, and the Sustainable Destination Gold Award 2022 by the Malaysian Tourism Council.
FOSTER aims to expand this conservation work to involve more village residents through community engagement. We have successfully organised two annual Sepilok Jazz events in 2022 and 2023. Both events brought together music artists from Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan, providing a wonderful two-day musical experience for attendees.
This year, we will move the venue to the larger Rainforest Discovery Centre, and Mr. Cheong Kok Ann, a well-known local music organiser who played a crucial role in arranging the popular KK Jazz annual event in Kota Kinabalu and the two previous Sepilok Jazz events, will once again join us to help organise the Third Edition of Sepilok Jazz.
