8 November 2024 – Sunway University Press was at the heart of a memorable event that celebrated the life and work of János Xántus, Hungarian naturalist and ethnographer whose scientific exploration and documentation in 1870 Sarawak, Borneo left a lasting influence on the understanding of the region’s natural world. Held at Sunway University, the event was the result of a collaboration between Sunway University Press, Sunway University’s Centre for English Language Studies and the Embassy of Hungary in Kuala Lumpur.
The event commenced with a welcome address by Professor Dato’ Elizabeth Lee, CEO of Sunway Education Group. The Ambassador of Hungary to Malaysia, Dr Petra Ponevács-Pana, then took the stage to deliver a keynote speech that underscored Xántus’ impact on the scientific community and the exchange and understanding of cultures.
The fascinating story and contributions of Xántus during his four-month stay in Sarawak will be compiled and published in a Hungarian-English bilingual volume for the first time. Edited by Associate Professor Dr Tamas Kiss, Christopher Higgs and Balázs Venkovits, the volume is scheduled for release in 2025 by Sunway University Press.
In anticipation of the upcoming volume, Dr Tamas and Higgs offered a glimpse into what lies between the pages with a multimodal presentation which captivated the senses through compelling narration, immersive sounds, and striking visuals. Through storytelling based on Xántus’ recorded accounts of the local people and biodiversity, Dr Kiss and Higgs brought the man and his adventures in Sarawak to life.
The event was also graced by the presence of a distinguished audience, including Professor Sibrand Poppema (President of Sunway University), Professor Abhimanyu Veerakumarasivam (Provost of Sunway University), ambassadors, high commissioners and other esteemed dignitaries, and members of the Sunway University community.
Sunway University Press was pleased to have contributed to the event’s success and reinforced its ongoing commitment to fostering global partnerships and advancing meaningful scholarship.
