Dear flower lovers, not necessarily connected to New Age thinking, if you have not already done so, do not hesitate to buy tickets to attend Floriade 2012! Floriade is a one of a kind World Horticultural Expo which is staged every ten years. This year’s 6th edition is expected to hold 2 million attendees and it will take place in Venlo, central-eastern Holland, between April and October, with plenty of shows open to the public during the day, and also during the evenings in the summer months.
photo by halbetreppe
If acres and acres of blooming plants of all shapes and sizes were not enough to fulfill your yearn for beauty, the programme is filled with cultural extravaganzafrom all over the world, ornate with music, dance, literature, visual arts at every moment of the festival.
Floriade 2012′s tagline is “Living Nature”. It really sounds like there can be no better way than spending the blooming and summer months’ holidays in the midst of the natural colours and smells of flowers. It is, however, important to keep in mind the controversies around the flower industry, due to its issues of environmental and social sustainability associated with growing flowers in developing countries. Flower production for consumers’ whims necessitates a lot of water and fertile land, very scarce resources in countries like Kenya and Ethiopia, where, especially in times of drought, the priority should be to grow food.
Compared to previous editions, Floriade in Venlo is transformed from a supply-driven exhibition into a veritable green experience. As well as celebrating the beauty of nature, the festival promises to be a platform for innovation, socially responsible business and sustainability, in order to bring consciousness about the flowers we buy, their certification, whether Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance or MPS, as well as appreciating the hard work put into growing them by many women and men, some of them living on brink of the poverty line. For instance, Floriade opens the doors to conscious consumers’ dialogue at an event on the 23rd of April on “Influencing food behaviour and change” to focus on sustainable development objectives.
Remember, if you miss this one, you’ll have to wait until 2022! So don’t linger any longer… get your tickets now!
For more information about the programme and to buy tickets please visit Floriade 2012′s official website.
No comments:
Post a Comment