Visitors to International Flowers Show in Damascus: Fragrance of Jasmine Replaces Smell of Gunpowder
DAMASCUS, (ST)- In the heart of Damascus, specifically at Tishreen Park, the 40th International Flower Show continues to receive visitors who come to enjoy seeing most beautiful domestic and imported flowers.
The event, which is organized by the Ministry of Tourism and Damascus Governorate and which continues till July 10th with local, Arab and international participation, is a tourist, social and economic phenomenon aiming mainly to encourage domestic tourism. It also provides opportunity to visitors to have a comprehensive idea about the world of green landscapes and ornamental plants.
Last year, Tishreen Park hosted the 39th edition of the annual International Flower Show after a stop of more than seven years because of the terrorist war on Syria. It gave the Syrians a refreshing sign that things are slowly returning to normal.
This years’ show includes more than 55 pavilions in which participants and horticultural companies competes to show their latest and best landscaping, learn about everything new in the world of landscaping, medicinal and aromatic plants, and related products such as honey, perfumes and soaps and other products associated with the agricultural sector.
Several cultural and artistic activities are being held within the framework of the show, in addition to an exhibition on handicrafts. The show also includes wonderful recreational and cultural activities for kids; ( kids films , outdoor / open air cinema, artistic shows, children’s book show ) and other free games and entertainment activities.
Visitors of the show expressed their happiness for seeing their country recovering from the war and restoring normality. Some of them stressed that “the flower show means a lot after more than eight years of foreign-backed terrorist war and destruction. It indicates that normal life has come back to Syria and the fragrance of jasmines, the Damascenes ever adore, will replace the smell of gunpowder and death.
A number of participants talked about the importance of the show in terms of identifying plants, flowers and some related industries and introducing the Damascene Rose.
Jad Khouri, an exhibitor from Lebanon talked about his company’s first participation. He said we are exhibiting ornamental plants, used in gardens landscaping and salons designing, in addition to fruit trees. The participation, according to Khouri , aims at taking part in identifying new kinds of flowers and plants and at knowing about some new nurseries and plants as well as at establishing contacts with producers of plants and flowers in Syria.
“Syria’s summer has restored it brightness and begun to breathe again,” he stressed.
Flowers are a message of love among peoples and homelands
From Iraq, agricultural engineer Raeda al-Yaseri, talked about her country’s pavilion which included a collection of folkloric products from Baghdad, evergreen and flowering plants, cactuses, Iraqi forest and palm plants as well as some beautiful roses used for landscaping.
She pointed out that “this is not the first Iraqi participation in Syria’s flower Show. Previous participations were successful and hopefully the current one will achieve similar success in order to tell the entire world that “flowers are a message of love among peoples and homelands”.
Flowers are a key element of tourist product
Shaker Shurbaji, owner of a company in Damascus Countryside, said the show maintains the permanent presence of flowers as a vital element of the Syrian tourist production. He made it clear that during the Show’s days, his company sell flowers and plants at low promotional price away from profit target.
He added the company exhibits fruit trees, spinal plants and Camellia which are rare kinds of plants that live long.
From the Syrian city of Tartous, Yaser Dreikeesh said the show is a space for the Syrians from different areas to see the beauty of their country which contains charming flowers and plants. He added that the show is an opportunity for participants to exchange ideas with owners of participating nurseries.
Hamda Mustafa