GENEVA, June 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Malaysia has been honoured with the international recognition of hosting the Global Skills Forum (GSF) 2025, marking the first time the prestigious event will be held outside of Geneva.
The official announcement was made on June 9 by Malaysia's Minister of Human Resources, The Honourable Steven Sim Chee Keong, during a high-level event co-organised with the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva. The GSF main event will take place in Kuala Lumpur on 22–23 October 2025.
Malaysia's selection as host reflects not only its role as Chair of ASEAN 2025, but also the country's growing leadership in workforce transformation, labour market reform and human capital development. The GSF 2025 will also serve as a flagship initiative under the ASEAN Year of Skills (AYOS), led by Human Resource Development Corporation, an agency under the Ministry of Human Resources Malaysia.
First hosted by the ILO in Geneva in 2024, GSF's second edition in Malaysia signals global confidence in the country's skills leadership and future-of-work readiness.
Malaysia's Global Commitment: Skills Access Without Borders
"GSF 2025 is not just about future skills – it is about fairness," said Minister Steven Sim. "Whether you are a coder in Hanoi, a delivery rider in Jakarta, or a factory worker in Kuala Lumpur, your work deserves respect, your safety deserves protection, and your skills deserve investment."
He continued, "To commemorate this important milestone, I am pleased to announce the global expansion of e-LATiH, Malaysia's national online learning platform. e-LATiH now offers free and borderless access to reskilling and upskilling content for any learner, anywhere in the world."
"Additionally, as announced during the ASEAN Human Capital Development Investment Symposium on 27 May, Malaysia is opening our National Training Week (NTW), taking place from 14 to 21 June 2025, to all ASEAN citizens for the first time. The programme will offer over 65,000 free skills development courses, delivered through both online and physical formats, covering areas such as artificial intelligence, digitalisation, green technology, and leadership. We welcome ASEAN citizens to join us in this regional initiative," concluded Minister Steven Sim.
GSF 2025 will convene 200+ delegates from 16 countries, including ministers, experts, industry and union leaders, and global bodies.
Strategic objectives include:
- Strengthening regional cooperation on skills mobility and labour certification.
- Accelerating investment in green and digital skills.
- Strengthening public-private partnerships in workforce development through Sector Skills Bodies (SSBs) and innovation-driven ecosystems.
- Launching Malaysia's National Human Resources Policy 2024–2030 as a model for ASEAN-wide collaboration.
Against this backdrop, GSF 2025 will serve as a platform to address key workforce challenges, including:
For information, www.aseanyearofskills.org. For media and partnership, CommsPR@hrdcorp.gov.my.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Malaysia to host first Global Skills Forum outside Geneva, under ASEAN Year of Skills
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LOUISVILLE, Ky., Apr. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- This May, Michter's Distillery is releasing US★1 Barrel Strength Sour Mash Kentucky Whiskey for the first time.
"When Michter's was being produced in the 1970's and the 1980's, the then- Pennsylvania distillery's most popular whiskey was its Sour Mash," said Michter's President Joseph J. Magliocco. "The Michter's US★1 Sour Mash that we make in Kentucky these days is a wonderful whiskey, and we're excited to have this opportunity to share it at barrel strength."
In 2019, Michter's US★1 Sour Mash received international recognition when it became the first American whiskey ever named "Whisky of the Year" by London- based The Whisky Exchange.
According to the Kentucky Distillers Association, "It was 1818 when Catherine Carpenter of Casey County recorded the first known recipe for sour mash, a game-changing technique that enabled a more consistent whiskey-making process and product." Michter's Master Distiller Dan McKee observed, "Most whiskey in the United States is made by the sour mash method.But the term is a bit of a misnomer. Our Sour Mash Whiskey is anything but sour. In fact, it is rich with delicious notes of toffee and stonefruit."
Michter's US★1 Barrel Strength Sour Mash has a suggested retail price of $120 per 750ml bottle in the United States. The average proof of the batches being offered in this 2026 release is 111.5 proof ( 55.75% ABV).
"The Michter's US★1 Small Batch Sour Mash Whiskey is known for its consistent, repeatable elegance and deliciously smooth quality at 86 proof," stated Michter's Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson. "It is a favorite of whiskey enthusiasts, and our fans will now be able to taste this unique product at barrel strength. In the spirit of keeping with the consistency and beauty and elegance of this product, we decided to offer this whiskey in a barrel strength form wherein the batch is created, but is left uncut and then undergoes our signature filtration protocol."
In October 2025, Michter's became the first whiskey to be named in three consecutive years The World's Most Admired Whiskey by an international academy of voters convened by UK-based Drinks International. Michter's has a rich and long legacy of offering traditional American whiskeys of uncompromising quality. With each of its limited production offerings aged to its peak maturity, Michter's highly acclaimed portfolio includes bourbon, rye, sour mash whiskey, and American whiskey. For more information about Michter's, please visit michters.com and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and X.
Contact:
Joseph J. Magliocco
+1 (502) 774-2300 x580
jmagliocco@michters.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Apr. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- This May, Michter's Distillery is releasing US★1 Barrel Strength Sour Mash Kentucky Whiskey for the first time.
"When Michter's was being produced in the 1970's and the 1980's, the then- Pennsylvania distillery's most popular whiskey was its Sour Mash," said Michter's President Joseph J. Magliocco. "The Michter's US★1 Sour Mash that we make in Kentucky these days is a wonderful whiskey, and we're excited to have this opportunity to share it at barrel strength."
In 2019, Michter's US★1 Sour Mash received international recognition when it became the first American whiskey ever named "Whisky of the Year" by London- based The Whisky Exchange.
According to the Kentucky Distillers Association, "It was 1818 when Catherine Carpenter of Casey County recorded the first known recipe for sour mash, a game-changing technique that enabled a more consistent whiskey-making process and product." Michter's Master Distiller Dan McKee observed, "Most whiskey in the United States is made by the sour mash method.But the term is a bit of a misnomer. Our Sour Mash Whiskey is anything but sour. In fact, it is rich with delicious notes of toffee and stonefruit."
Michter's US★1 Barrel Strength Sour Mash has a suggested retail price of $120 per 750ml bottle in the United States. The average proof of the batches being offered in this 2026 release is 111.5 proof ( 55.75% ABV).
"The Michter's US★1 Small Batch Sour Mash Whiskey is known for its consistent, repeatable elegance and deliciously smooth quality at 86 proof," stated Michter's Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson. "It is a favorite of whiskey enthusiasts, and our fans will now be able to taste this unique product at barrel strength. In the spirit of keeping with the consistency and beauty and elegance of this product, we decided to offer this whiskey in a barrel strength form wherein the batch is created, but is left uncut and then undergoes our signature filtration protocol."
In October 2025, Michter's became the first whiskey to be named in three consecutive years The World's Most Admired Whiskey by an international academy of voters convened by UK-based Drinks International. Michter's has a rich and long legacy of offering traditional American whiskeys of uncompromising quality. With each of its limited production offerings aged to its peak maturity, Michter's highly acclaimed portfolio includes bourbon, rye, sour mash whiskey, and American whiskey. For more information about Michter's, please visit michters.com and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and X.
Contact:
Joseph J. Magliocco
+1 (502) 774-2300 x580
jmagliocco@michters.com
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First Release of Michter's US★1 Barrel Strength Sour Mash Kentucky Whiskey
