Monday, April 25, 2011

Flora Expo Has Ended, but the Dream Has Not

Flora Expo Has Ended, but the Dream Has Not
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
April 26, 2011

The Flora Expo has ended, but the dream has not. Yesterday the half-year long 2010 Taipei International Flower Exposition ended with fireworks and a parade. The public joined in with gusto. The expo concluded, a roaring success. During the closing ceremony, President Faber of the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH), once again called the Taipei Flower Exposition the most successful flower exposition ever held. Recalling the chaos of opening day makes the hard-won fruits of success all the more sweet.

As the chief executive of the host city, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin was presented with an AIPH gold medal. Hau is usually stolid of manner. But on this occasion, he revealed his inner thoughts and feelings, referring to the Qing poet Gong Zizhen, who wrote, "Fallen flowers are not heartless things. Transformed into spring earth, they nuture new blossoms." In the course of organizing the expo, Hau Lung-bin experienced many ups and downs, many mixed feelings. He is surely grateful to the citizens of Taipei for their political maturity. They enabled him to pass the stringent test imposed by the ongoing elections. He was affirmed in the eyes of the public as a city mayor genuinely eager and able to get things done.

Hau Lung-bin credited the flower growers, volunteers, and performing artists for their joint effort and for the successful outcome. He stressed that all of the exhibits were "Made In Taiwan," therefore even more a cause for pride.

The Flora Expo truly is a cause for public pride. It was the first international exposition held by the Republic of China, and all the elements were MIT (made in Taiwan). Everything including the design, planning, operations, and live performances, were the results of a joint effort on Taiwan. It showed off Taiwan's vitality and creativity. More specifically, the expo represented Taiwan's soft power.

The most popular features of the expo were the Pavilion of Dreams, the Pavilion of Angels, and the Pavilion of the Future. These will remain in operation until next year. The popular Taiwan Pavilion 3D theater and Theater of the Future at the Shanghai World Expo will also resume operation. People unable to visit the expo will have the opportunity to experience its combination of cultural creativity and high technology. In 1985, Japan's World Science and Technology Fair introduced advanced display systems and helped universalize digital technology. The 2005 Aichi Expo introduced a new concept of symbiosis for the earth and the environment. The 2019 Pavilion of Dreams at the Taipei Flora Expo was a memorable milestone that displayed the creative energy of Taiwan's art on the international stage.

Twenty-two cities and 28 organizations participated in the Flora Expo garden competition. Over a period of six months, the Taiwan Association of Flower Development received the most critical praise. It won both the top prize and the AIPH Award. The "Knowing Contentment Taiwan Bamboo Garden" showed off the unique character of Taiwan's tea plants and hydroponic flowers. Even the tea served at the entrance conveyed Taiwan's human touch. For many visitors, the greatest attraction was the sound of "Contentment," which expressed the view of life and the toughness of people on Taiwan.

In planning the closing ceremony, Taipei City encouraged public participation. A parade was held in the afternoon. A concert was held in the Da Jia Park Area. Fireworks as well as the night market carnival were the most beloved by the international community. One hundred fifty-two name brand vendors of street food gathered in a large park. Looed pork rice, oyster omelets, bean curd, pork ribs stewed in Chinese herbs, and deep fried chicken breasts were all readily available. The atmosphere in Taipei was joyous. A record nine million people visited. A new record was established that final day. Over 150,000 people attended in a single day. Everyone was excited to be part of the historic moment.

The curtain has rung down on a successful Flora Expo. At the same time, it is hard not to recall the ups and downs during the Expo opening. Society on Taiwan is pluralistic and open. The colorful Flora Expo was the victim of a very embarrassing situation. Prize-winning hydroponic flower growers were the target of smear campaigns by a handful of politicians, who accused them of squandering public money. During the past six months, everyone who has visited the expo has seen the care taken with the expo, how flowers are constantly replaced, rain or shine. They have all been able to see beautiful flowers in full bloom, vibrant green grass and trees. The fruits, vegetables, and flowers may have come with price tags. But creativity is priceless. Happiness is priceless. As people walk through the Flora Expo, they have only one feeling -- that 50 or 100 NT is a pittance for all the enjoyment they have experienced.

If the flowers and trees could talk they would tell people to please listen to their silent song, and not to the politicians' cacaphony. The noise emanating from politicians on Taiwan is too loud. It makes people forget the happiness and joy that surround them. Politics may paint everything either blue or green. But must we forget the other colors pleasing to the eye? The Flora Expo exhibits have put art and beauty well within our reach. This is something politicians who see only blue and green cannot see. Never mind noisy politicians. They are the biggest losers. They have lost the tranquility within their hearts.

The Flora Expo has ended. But the dream has not. Remember the pride of the moment. It was the pride of all Taiwan. Please remember how your heart was filled with of happiness. Taiwan is a treasure island that can make people happy. Cherish it, love it, No amount of political noise can stand in your way.

花博落幕,夢想不落幕!
2011-04-26 中國時報

花博落幕,夢想不落幕!展期長達半年的二○一○台北國際花卉博覽會昨日在煙花、歡樂 遊行、民眾踴躍參與的熱情中,圓滿閉幕。閉幕典禮上,AIPH國際園藝者協會主席法柏(Dr. Faber)再次盛讚台北花博是有史以來辦得最成功的一次花卉博覽會。回顧開幕時的紛紛擾擾,得來不易的果實更顯甜美。

身為花博主辦城市的大家長,台北市長郝龍斌獲AIPH頒贈榮譽金牌,平日嚴肅的他,難得引用清季詩人龔自珍的詩句:「落紅不是無情物,化作春泥更護花」,表達內心的感觸。走過花博籌辦歷程中的風風雨雨,郝龍斌百感交集之餘,必然更感謝台北市民的成熟,讓他順利通過選舉嚴苛的考驗,成為市民心目中,真正肯做事、能做事的市長。

郝龍斌把他的驕傲獻給所有花農、志工、文化表演者共同努力的所打造的成果,他更強調,所有展覽規畫全都是Made In Taiwan台灣製造,更值得台灣驕傲。

是的,花博確實值得全民驕傲!它不僅是中華民國第一次舉辦的國際展覽會,所有的元素都是MIT(台灣製造),從設計、規畫、營運、布展、表演全部是台灣共同努的成果。這就是台灣的生命力、台灣的創造力,花博更具體呈現了台灣的軟實力。

花博最受歡迎的夢想館,還有生活天使館、未來館,都將繼續延長營運到明年,包括上海世博中頗受稱譽的台灣館的3D劇院和未來劇場,也都將在未來館重現,讓所有展期中未及參觀的民眾,還有機會親身體驗高科技與文創結合的美。一九八五年,日本世界科技博覽會率先展出的先進映象,帶動數位普及;二○○五年日本愛知博覽會,提出地球與環境共生的新概念;二○一○年台北花博夢想館,為台灣參與國際舞台、展現台灣藝術創作能量跨出值得記憶的里程碑。

花博寰宇庭園的花卉競賽,由廿二個國家、廿六個城市、廿八家機構參與,經過六個月,最受評審青睞的最大首獎及AIPH大獎,雙雙由台灣花卉發展協會奪得。「知『竹』常樂─台灣園」,展現了台灣特色的茶樹、水耕花卉,連入口處的奉茶,也充分傳達台灣的人情味,對許多參觀的民眾而言,更貼心的是「知足常樂」的諧音,充分表現台灣人的人生觀和韌性。

台北市以全民參與的方式,設計閉幕,從下午開始的遊行、大佳園區的演唱會、煙火,還有國際人士最喜愛的台灣夜市嘉年華,一百五十二家知名小吃齊聚大佳園區,魯肉飯、蚵仔煎、豆花、藥燉排骨、雞排一應俱全,幸福充滿台北的天空。九百萬人次的破紀錄參觀人數,在最後一天達到最高點,單日就突破十五萬人,所有的人都為自己能參與這個歷史性的時刻而亢奮。

花博光彩落幕的同時,很難不讓人想起花博開幕時的風風雨雨。台灣是一個多元開放的社會,彩色的花博,在開幕前後,卻遭遇極難堪的處境,得大獎的水耕花卉甚至曾被少數政客操作成為花博浪費公帑的箭靶,這半年之中,每一位前往參觀的民眾,親眼看到花農的用心,隨時替換新鮮花卉,不論晴雨,他們都能看到美麗飽滿的花朵綻放,生氣蓬勃的草地樹木,綠意盎然,草樹花卉蔬果有價,創意無價,幸福無價,民眾走在讓自己幸福滿溢的花博場區,只會有一種感覺,五十元、一百元對這些花草樹木都是貶抑。

如果花草樹木會說話,他們或許會向人們娓娓道來:請靜靜聆聽我無聲的歡唱,不要去聽政客的喧囂。是的,台灣政治噪音太大,往往使人們疏忽就在每個人身邊的幸福和快樂,何需因為政治上的藍或綠,忘記入眼即可得的彩色呢?花博展場的設計布展,讓藝術、美學觸手可得,這些哪裡是眼中只有藍綠之爭的政客看得到的呢?不必介意政客們的吵吵鬧鬧,因為損失最大的是他們,他們失去的是心中的平靜和安樂。

花博落幕,夢想不落幕!請記得此刻的驕傲,是全台灣人的驕傲;請記得心中滿滿的幸福感,台灣,是一個可以給人幸福快樂的寶地,珍惜它,愛護它,再多的政治喧囂,都不會再構成干擾。

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