Book launch and talk: Around the World in 500 Years
The talk will be held in English.
Across borders and generations
This event feels like an intimate conversation around a long table where one story leads to another, carrying you between countries and generations as you look at old family photos that reveal a bigger story.
Join author Amy-Jean Yee and internationally recognised artist Yee I-Lann as they launch Around the World in 500 Years: Tapestry of a Family, a richly illustrated project developed over the course of a decade. Part family history, part migration story and part artistic interpretation, it is a 500-year journey stitched together through continents, cultures and centuries.
Datuk Adeline Leong, who is renowned for her long career at the Institute for Development Studies (Sabah) and her work in international development and trade, will officiate at the launch. She will also participate in the discussion with the author and illustrator.
Event Details
- Sunday 21 December 2025
- 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm
- TKC Multi Purpose Hall, The Kinabalu Club, Town Padang, Kota Kinabalu
To reserve a seat, contact Han (017-811 2789).
Inquiries: tapestry500years@gmail.com
The book will be available for purchase at the event. Price: RM120.
About the book
Around the World in 500 Years: Tapestry of a Family
The book is the result of extensive research, but it is also based on something simple: the desire to preserve heritage, honour ancestry, and encourage others to explore their own roots. Yee I-Lann's visual work adds emotional weight and detail, helping the story to be more than just a timeline.
The author
Amy-Jean Yee grew up in New Zealand, studied history and geography, trained as a secondary school teacher, and moved to Sabah in the late 1960s. Inspired by her grandmother's storytelling, she embarked on a genealogical journey which eventually culminated in her first book.
The illustrator
Yee I-Lann is a contemporary Malaysian artist who works with photography, collage, film, collaborative weaving and everyday objects. Her work frequently explores power, colonialism, and the ways in which historic memory shapes social life.
How to get to this event?
The Kinabalu Club
Ground Floor, Blok 2, Jalan Padang, Bandaran Berjaya, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.