The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) President Leonardo Capitanio visited the International Horticulture Goyang Korea 2024 on Saturday, 27 April, in the Ilsan Lake Park in Goyang Special City, South Korea.

It was the first day of the AIPH-approved Expo, and Mr Capitanio was invited to present prizes, alongside Florint President Mr Simon Ogrizek, at its first international event, the Goyang Flower Grand Prix – an international floristry competition.

Expert judges from international flower competitions, including the Interflora World Cup and Europa Cup, evaluated over 250 competitors from Korea and nine other countries. The AIPH Trophy Prize was awarded to Kim Jong-Kuk of Korea, a testament to his exceptional artistic skills with flowers. Other winners, including Arman Voskanyan of Armenia and Hong Ye-chan of Korea, also showcased their remarkable talent, inspiring all with their achievements.

In his Award Presentation speech, Mr Capitanio said: “It is my great pleasure to congratulate you on the successful opening of International Horticulture Goyang Korea 2024. I am particularly honoured that this year, it opens also with the approval and recognition of AIPH. We are very pleased to be supporting this Expo, which started in 1997 and has been led by the flower industry since then.

“The close association that the Goyang International Flower Expo has with the industry lies at the heart of its success. It has not stayed as a local event. It has branched out to become a significant international showcase for flowers and plants, bringing together producers and organisations from 30 countries with the public to inspire visitors with the amazing products on display.”

AIPH President Mr Leonardo Capitanio and Goyang Special City Mayor of Goyang Special City Mr Dong-Hwan Lee.

In 2024, the Goyang International Flower Expo became the first event that the AIPH had approved simultaneously for Category C (International Horticultural Exhibition) and D (International Horticultural Trade Expo). During the Award event, Mr Dong-Hwan Lee, Mayor of Goyang Special City presented Mr Capitanio with a letter of intention to apply to host an AIPH-approved A1 International Horticultural Exhibition in the future.

On Sunday, 28 April, Mr Capitanio toured the indoor and outdoor exhibition areas, showcasing the diverse array of flowers and plants from different domestic and international regions, highlighting the exhibition’s captivating theme, “Earth, Environment and Flowers: Flower in the Earth”.

Mr Capitanio later met with the organisers of this Expo, the Goyang International Flower Expo Foundation (GIFF), to congratulate them on hosting this Expo successfully and to foster discussions on ways to strengthen international exchange and cooperation and promote global networks for the future.

He met with Mr Dong-Hwan Lee, Mayor of Goyang Special City and Chairman of GIFF; Mr Jeong Heung-Kyo, CEO of GIFF; Mr Yu-Jeong Yang GIFF Headquarters Director, and AIPH member representatives; Mr Lim Yuktaek, President of the Korea Florist Association (KFA) and Korea Federation of Flower-Related Associations (KOFLAS) and Mr An Hong-Kyun from the Korean Association for the Advancement of the Flora Culture, (KAFC.

The Goyang International Flower Expo 2024 will continue until 12 May at Ilsan Lake Park. More than 200 organisations, groups, associations, and companies from 50 cities in 30 countries are participating.

For further information, visit www.flower.or.kr