KUCHING, Malaysia, April 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Malaysia has been selected to host the Consortium of Institutes on Family in the Asian Region (CIFA) Regional Symposium 2026, co-organised by the National Coalition for Mental Wellbeing (NCMW) Malaysia and CIFA Hong Kong, with Kuching making history as the first city in the country to host the event.
Dato Wee (centre) expresses his support towards CIFA 2026, which will welcome over 500 delegates to advocate for better mental health wellbeing in families.
Kuching’s selection reflects Sarawak’s growing recognition as the legacy capital of business events in Malaysia and Borneo, where events are intentionally designed to drive long-term progress beyond economic returns.
The symposium will take place from 18 to 20 November 2026 at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching, welcoming over 500 delegates from across the Asia Pacific. It comes at a critical time, as rising anxiety, loneliness, and digital dependency among young people place increasing pressure on families and widen gaps in understanding between generations.
Held under the theme “Building Bridges: Mental Health and Resilience Across Generations in the AI Era”, the symposium will focus on children, teens, and parents, with a strong emphasis on how families can build resilience in a rapidly evolving digital world.
The CIFA Regional Symposium 2026 aims to move the conversation beyond awareness towards action, including developing accessible mental health resources such as affordable services, community-based support, financial assistance mechanisms, insurance coverage, and workplace protections.
Speakers will explore how resilience is developed through early life experiences and parental influence, as well as the impact of social media on self-perception, emotional well-being, and intergenerational communication. Discussions will also examine how different generations experience mental health in a digital era, highlighting both the risks and opportunities of technology, and the need to bridge gaps in understanding between parents and children.
In today’s symposium soft launch, Dato Wee Hong Seng, Mayor of Kuching South, emphasised Kuching South City Council’s commitment to advancing community wellbeing:
“For Sarawak to be selected as the host location for Malaysia’s first CIFA Regional Symposium reflects the growing recognition of Kuching as a city that values inclusive development, social wellbeing, and people-centred progress. Kuching South City Council recognises that wellbeing is a key part of urban governance, and we must continue to address mental health stigma and strengthen suicide prevention through education, open dialogue, and compassionate community responses.”
Siti Subaidah Mustaffa, Co-Chair of the CIFA Regional Symposium 2026, calls for society to work together to build sustainable mental health support for all – young and old alike.
“Policymakers, researchers, corporate partners, and communities cannot remain observers, but must come together as partners to shape policies, invest in mental health, and create environments where families are supported to build resilience from the ground up. Our intention is not just to host a symposium, but to drive meaningful, measurable impact through regional and multi-stakeholder collaboration.”
Jason Tan Chin Foo, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak), highlights the role of business events in turning mental health dialogues into coordinated action.
“Bringing the CIFA Regional Symposium to Malaysia for the first time reflects the growing importance of regional collaboration in addressing family and mental health challenges. Sarawak offers a meaningful space where these conversations are closely tied to real community needs and lived experiences, aligned with the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030, where social wellbeing and human capital development are key priorities.”
Today’s soft launch also offered a preview of the programme:
Prof. Dato’ Dr Andrew Mohanraj, in his session “Resilience is Learned, Not Downloaded: Strengthening Mental Wellbeing Across Generations”, emphasised that resilience is developed through childhood experiences, particularly by observing how parents and caregivers manage stress.
Dr Janet Ann Fernandez, in her session “From Kampung to Cloud: How Different Generations Experience Mental Health in a Digital World”, noted that the digital world should not be viewed as essentially harmful, but understood as both a challenge and a tool for wellbeing, emphasising the need to bridge generational differences in communication and coping.
The CIFA Regional Symposium 2026 is part of a series of regional engagements and biennial Asian Family Summits organised by CIFA. The 2026 edition in Kuching will also include a series of pre-event engagements leading up to the symposium.
The symposium is jointly organised by the National Coalition for Mental Wellbeing (NCMW) and CIFA Hong Kong.
The CIFA Regional Symposium 2026 is supported by:
- Ministry of Public Health, Housing and Local Government Sarawak
- Kuching South City Council
- Ministry of Health Malaysia
- National Centre of Excellence for Mental Health
- BESarawak
- World Federation of Mental Health
- Rotary International
- Rotary Action Group District 3300 Chapter
