The 2010 Taipei International Flora Exposition, which begins Nov. 6, is the perfect opportunity for Taiwan to showcase its soft power to the global community, Taipei City Mayor Hau Lung-bin said Nov. 5.
“The exposition features not only Taiwan’s horticultural potential, but also its cutting-edge technology, advances in environmental protection and booming creativity,” Hau said at an international news conference.
The Flora Expo, authorized by the International Association of Horticulture Producers, will see 61 cities and 90 organizations from 32 countries participate in the event by the time it closes April 25, 2011.
The expo area is spread over 91 hectares in Taipei City’s Dajia Riverside, Fine Arts Museum, Xinsheng and Yuanshan parks, organizers said.
Among the 14 exhibition halls, the most eye-catching include the Pavilion of Dreams, which is home to Taiwan’s high-end technology, and the EcoArk, a green building made of 1.5 million recycled plastic bottles.
The Dajia Riverside Park is best enjoyed by night, when visitors will be greeted by a 36-meter-long digital water wall performance, the largest in Asia, and an interactive light show on a 1,250-meter-long fluorescent mural along the Keelung River, according to organizers.
On the opening night the river will also be the venue for a stunning 1-hour-long fireworks show.
Local performance groups including Ming Hwa Yuan Arts and Cultural Group, Ping-fong Acting Troupe, Formosa Aboriginal Song & Dance Troupe and U-Theatre will put on over 7,000 shows across 11 venues.
The expo is expected to draw over 8 million visitors from home and abroad over the next six months, organizers noted. (THN)
Write to Kwangyin Liu at kwangyin.liu@mail.gio.gov.tw