In order to protect the health and safety of the people in Taiwan and all of the WOC participants, as well as to avoid overloading the medical community and to comply with the central government policy, The City of Taichung has announced to postpone the “23rd World Orchid Conference and Show”, which was scheduled for March 9-18, 2020 at the former Flower Expo site in Waipu.
The city government of Taichung said that, “although tremendous efforts have been placed on organizing the orchid conference and show and plenty has been done to keep everyone safe, in light of possible further disease spread and the central government raising the condition to Level 1, the City of Taichung and Taiwan Orchid Growers Association have jointly decided to postpone the event to a later time in 2020 after the COVID-19 has subsided.”
“It took many years of efforts to secure the right to host the World Orchid Conference”, said the Agriculture Bureau of the City of Taichung which is the sponsor. The City further stressed that “This is the first time the World Orchid Conference takes place in Taiwan since its inception in 1954. After being awarded this honoring opportunity in South Africa in 2014, the City of Taichung and Taiwan Orchid Growers Association have spent the last three years preparing for this event. However, due to health concerns and to comply with the national healthy emergency policy, following extensive deliberations, we decided to postpone this long anticipated major orchid event. We understand that this postponement creates difficulties for those who have nearly completed their orchid exhibits. We further realize the financial losses for those overseas orchid scholars and experts who have been invited or volunteered to join this conference to contribute valuable presentations. As such, the Agriculture Bureau will seek all possibilities to minimize their losses. We hope that this Conference will soon be resumed after the danger of COVID-19 no longer exists.”
For more information:
World Orchid Conference
www.woc23.com