The IFLA World Congress is an annual landscape architecture conference held in different countries every year. In 2020, it was supposed to be held in Malaysia, but due to Covid-19, the event was held back and postponed to 2021. Even then, it became the first IFLA hybrid conference, with participants joining online while working committee members to be physically present on site to ease the event organization and coordination.
On weeks and days leading to the actual congress, there were many fringe events taking place including design competition, exhibitions and student charrette program. I was assigned to be a facilitator representing an educator from UTM, along with other academicians from different universities in Malaysia.
IFLA International Student Charrette
The IFLA International Student Charrette was held on a virtual platform, where facilitators and participants joined in on a three-day workshop discussing environmental issues with 5 main themes; floods, waste, pollutions, urban heat islands and energy. Participants were instructed to analyze the situations and impacts of the themes given to each group and present their discussion and findings through any creative means of presentation. On the last day, the participants presented some very impactful and interesting insights on the topics despite the limited time (and interactions) they had since the workshop was conducted fully online.
The participants consisted of students mainly with landscape architectural background from all over the world. One virtual group photo of the group that I was in charge with. Such a joyful bunch! :)Rehearsals with congress speakers
From the student charrette program, I was invited to become the moderator for one of the sessions for the IFLA Congress. This really came by surprised and I was not prepared for it at all! I was the last person join the committee team with only weeks away from the main event. Alhamdulillah, with very a supportive team and leaders, everything went smoothly and I had so much fun and really glad I was a part of it.
The congress had an impressive line of speakers - very prominent in the landscape architecture field. A couple weeks before the congress, we had rehearsal sessions with the speakers, though this had to be done during odd timings due to the time differences from where some of them are from. Nonetheless, we had some really great casual chats getting to know the speakers, some I've only dreamt of 'meeting' - very lucky indeed!
If you studied landscape architecture, you must have been taught and read about or referred to Professor Martha Schwartz's designs. We even had late night chatting session with her the night before her actual session during the congress - very impactful and fruitful discussion on how landscape architecture can help with climate change - definitely not something that comes by often!
IFLA World Congress
As I mentioned before, the congress were conducted in a hybrid mode; working committees and moderators on site in Georgetown, Penang and speakers in the respective countries. Each Satellite Hub (sessions according to theme/topic) were conducted on different days (4 days in total).
Here are some photos from my moderating session during the congress.
With Professor Richard Smardon (SUNY)
With Professor Laila ElMasry Stino (Cairo University Egypt)
Behind the Scenes
When I got the invitation to moderate one of the congress sessions, I was in the middle of a discussion during the student charrette program and blindly accepted it - so I honestly didn't I would have to do it in front of cameras and live! I remember almost backing out once I found out, but thought that it would be a great opportunity to experience and be a part of a congress this significant in our field. Since the event was held during Covid time, not many people were allowed to be on the site with us (only direct working committees with authorities' approvals). Here are some behind the scenes shots :)
We had to take a tram to get to the top of Penang Hill.
And a buggy to The Habitat.
We conducted the session at The Habitat Penang Hill. I've never been here since it opened in 2016, but it really is an excellent representation of our tropical with breathtaking views of Penang. If you are a nature-lover and happen to be in Penang, visiting The Habitat is a must!
Food provided by The Habitat was so delicious!
At the end of each day, we would have daily de-briefing at around 9pm. We would discuss the event during the day and is necessary troubleshoot anything that needs to be.
Overall, I was glad that I 'blindly' accepted the invitation to be apart of this event. Not only did I have a great experience being a part of the IFLA congress and doing things I have never done before, I made so many new friends in the industry, increased awareness on raising issues in our field, get to personally chat with international speakers from around the world and most importantly I had a wonderful time!
