[Source: AIPH] For the past 18 months, people have faced isolation challenges worldwide as they cope with the Covid-19 Pandemic. Many have sought and found harmony interacting with nature and in open green spaces. It has become evident, too, in the face of climate action, that more than ever, cities need to develop green credentials and urban areas and drive the appreciation and benefits of plants and flowers in the built environment.

International Horticultural Expos are beautiful events that showcase nature, are enjoyed by millions of visitors, and leave environmentally positive legacies for the host city’s residents. The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) has a mandate agreed by the 1928 Paris Convention and subsequent protocols. Since 1960, International Horticultural Expos have been approved and regulated by AIPH. A gallery of these expos can be viewed online www.aiph.org/expos/history/

On 19 October 2021, organisers from forthcoming AIPH approved Expos will be presenting their progress reports. This free online conference is an excellent opportunity to learn more about upcoming Expos as well as hosting or being involved with an International Horticultural Expo and network with Expo organisers, city representatives interested in hosting an expo, urban developers, AIPH members, NGOs, international city and environmental organisations and suppliers to major events.

Millions are spent developing these international spectacles that can stimulate the development of entire cities and transform the international reputation of hosting regions. Each Exhibition attracts many international participants and millions of visitors and lasts up to six months, with sites ranging from the smallest of 25 hectares to the largest of 500 hectares or more. Every Expo is carefully regulated, steered, and monitored by AIPH.

From now until 2027 AIPH has approved the following Expos in China, Turkey, Qatar, the Netherlands, South Korea, and Japan.

A1 World Horticultural Expos

Expo 2022 Floriade (the Netherlands)
14 April – 9 October 2022.
Theme – Growing Green Cities

Expo 2023 Doha (Qatar).
2 October 2023 – 28 March 2024
Theme – Green Desert, Better Environment

World Horticultural Exhibition 2027 Yokohama (Japan).
March – September 2027
Theme – Scenery of the Future for Happiness

B International Horticultural Exhibitions

Expo 2021 Yangzhou (China)

Expo 2021 Hatay (Turkey)

Expo 2023 Kahramanmaraş (Turkey)

Suncheon Bay International Garden Expo 2023 (South Korea).

International Horticultural Exhibition Chengdu 2024 (China)

Expo İzmir 2026 (Turkey)

There will also be news on progress from the organisers of the International Horticultural Show, Euroflora 2022, where organisers promise a voyage of rare beauty from 23 April until 8 May in Genova, Italy.

Putting Sustainability at the heart of AIPH-approved Expos

As the world’s champion for the power of plants, AIPH is committed to a sustainable future in which humanity, technology, and nature exist in a healthy and stable equilibrium.

To cement our dedication to a sustainable future, AIPH has developed a new Sustainability Policy. Independent Sustainability Expert Mr David Stubbs, formerly Head of Sustainability for London 2012 Olympics & Paralympic Games, will present the policy and Rules for AIPH Expos at the Virtual Expo Conference. These rules will describe the standards for the planning and staging of horticultural Expos to ensure they are the world’s most sustainable major events.

New AIPH Reporting procedures

During the conference, AIPH will reveal news on the new reporting procedures for approved Expos. Ms Elena Terekhova, AIPH International Relations Manager, and Mr Peter Ward, Managing Director of WeTrack, will introduce the WeTrack online programme that Expos will be required to use for reporting and the benefits of using this as an event management tool.

We are grateful to our Gold Sponsor PERA Event, and Event Partners AGES (Association of Global Event Suppliers), the Department for International Trade, and Major Events International. Including Media Partners Host City and FloraCulture International.

Registration for the virtual conference is free. For more information on this event, visit our website www.aiph.org/event/expo-conference-oct-2021/