Summer 2004
AROUND THE GLOBE

AUSTRALIA

Betty Melville was invited by The Deputy Lord Mayor Susan Riley to the Presentation Ceremony for the "Medal in Memory of the 300 years of St. Petersburg" to The Lord Mayor of Melbourne, John So by His Excellency Mr. Leonid Moiseev, Ambassador of the Russian Federation on May 10, 2004. Congratulations, Betty!

CHINA

Damien Koh, AIFD will travel to the AIFD Symposium in New York City during July. Damien is a featured lecturer for the 2004 National Symposium “Fusion” and will present “When Rice Met Fries,” a lecture of Eastern and Western influences.

ECUADOR

Agriflor 2004 will be held in Quito, Ecuador during October 6-8, 2004. The convention will showcase the fresh flower industry. The next Agriflor will be presented in 2006. For more information email info@hpp.nl or visit www.agriflor.com.

JAPAN

Congratulations to June Shishikura for completing a very successful WFC Japan Floral Demonstration May 30. Poo Chesdmethee and Yutaka Jinbo, AIFD were special designers and lecturers for the program. Poo’s mother and aunt traveled to Tokyo to support June, as well as WFC International Chairman, Dean White. Good job June, and keep up the splendid work!

The World Flower Council Manila Summit 2003 Design Show was featured in the Japanese Magazine, “Flower Shop.” Pictured in the publication were designs from WFC Members Patricia Patrick, AIFD from Canada, June Shishikura and Yoshiko Yokoyama of Japan and Bernard Low of Singapore.

MALAYSIA – by Chong Wan Chew

It’s yet another year in Malaysia since the establishment of WFC Malaysia Chapter. This year, 2004, we have organized a seminar/demonstration and participated in a festival event.

During May 22nd – May 23rd, WFC Malaysia Chapter had the honor of inviting Damien, Koh, AIFD, MSF to come to Penang, Malaysia to present a demonstration and conduct a seminar for our fellow members.

The seminar was very successful and many of the students (members) attended were very pleased with the technique taught. In a day, many of them learned how to do various body flowers and wedding bouquets using a variety of flowers and foliages.

The Wesak Day, a public holiday where all Chinese celebrate the birth of Buddha. WFC Malaysia Chapter had the privilege to co-participate in the completion of the largest flower float. Most of the flowers are contributed by the religious followers and also from our dear chapter members. There were a total of 6 float vehicles decorated with flowers and the above float is the main flower float.

RUSSIA – Submitted by Vlad Kuleshov and Marina Gromova

In recent years, floristry, gardening and landscape design have experienced further development in Russia. In big cities and smaller towns of Russia, many new clubs, sections and partnerships have been opened. Flower design is especially popular.

Regional flower festivals have taken place in Siberia (Novosibirsk, Irkutsk), in the River Volga region (Volzhsk), in the south of Russia (Sochi) and in northwest Russia, such as St. Petersburg, Moscow, Arhangelsk, Murmansk and Kaliningrad. St. Petersburg has become an initiative center. Five floral conferences have been held there, including the Ikebana in the Interior of European Cities, Renaissance of Modern Style, Rococo-Baroque, Avantgarde of Nichol School and the College and Decorative Volume Panel. These conferences were conducted by Mrs. Manako, Mr. Kais Tuk of Holland, Mr. Zubov of Russia as well as by flower designers from Germany, England, France, Norway and Sweden. Four flower arrangements festivals have been held, three in St. Petersburg. Nine of the mentioned conferences and festivals were televised on central and local channels of Russia. Currently, the flower festival, “Flower of Victory,” is being prepared and will be held in 29 cities of Russia and 11 cities of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Vlad Kuleshov has been busy with six TV interviews and three Radio Russia interviews.

SWEDEN

The Director of EuroFlorist, Peter Jungbeck, will host the North American group for a day in Malmo, Sweden, visiting horticultural highlights and touring the School of Ingvar Strandhs. Our thanks to Peter, our new member from Sweden.

U.S.A.

The 2004 AIFD Symposium, “Fusion,” is currently being held in New York City through July 6. International WFC members will travel to the U.S. for the conference to pick up their AIFD pins, lecture, compete and attend the events.

VENEZUELA

New WFC member, Ms. Katy Ron, was recently featured in a collaboration of Christmas designs published in the Venezuela magazine, “Florist – Christmas Decorations.” Ms. Ron has 35 years of experience and owns her own shop in Caracas. She is also the President of the Association of Venezuelan Florist and a member of the Association of Iberoamericanos. Ms. Ron is a major contributor and leading designer in Venezuela and is credited with coordinating floral design courses and lections and the building of floristry in her country.

We welcome Katy Ron to World Flower Council International and are pleased to add Venezuela as a member country.

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