Lisse, (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Dutch Crown Prince Willem Alexander has officially opened the 59th edition of the world famous international flower exhibition of Keukenhof in Lisse, The Netherlands.
As a member of the International Olympic Committee His Royal Highness cut the ribbon, supported by the Honorable Ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China in the Netherlands, H.E. Mrs Xue Hanqin, the vice mayor of Beijing City, Mr Niu Youcheng, and the chairwoman of the Dutch Olympic Committee, Mrs Erica Terpstra. The latter, was an Olympic swimming champion in the Tokyo games in 1964, and is more or less an opening ceremony veteran as she performed in a similar ceremony in 1996.
There is a reason for the emphasis on sports. The Keukenhof exhibition selected 'China - The 2008 Olympics, Beijing', as this year's main theme. This influenced the opening programme. Amongst others, the Chinese MTV Award winners 2007 "China Girls" performed a very special concert. Bringing a mixture of both Chinese and western classic and pop music, played on an electrical violin, an electrical cello, a flute, as well as an erhu, the traditional Chinese knee violin.
According to Keukenhof general manager, Mr Piet de Vries, the flower exhibition has created a lot of interest in the cultural and historical influences of China. "Not only did we use events, the so called inspiration gardens and various flower shows, but we also created a huge Chinese dragon as well. By planting over 24,500 tulips and muscari flowers, we created a 15 by 10 metres mosaic of this traditional symbol for the new year," he says.
The Keukenhof programme consists of the well known successes like the Easter Hat Parade as well as specific thematic exhibitions. 'China - The 2008 Olympics, Beijing' will be recognizable in one of the gardens which was inspired by the Forbidden City, and includes an exhibition of pictures of common Chinese streets and an Olympic show.
Around 3.3 per cent of the 25.4 million foreign guests visiting The Netherlands pass through the Keukenhof ticket office, supporting the slogan 'You can't have seen Holland if you haven't visited Keukenhof'. Two-thirds of the approx. 840,000 annual visitors, go to see the result of 7 million flower bulbs in magnificent majesty, most originating from abroad.
SOURCE: Keukenhof
CONTACT: Annemarie Gerards of Keukenhof,
+31(0)252-465505,
a.gerards@keukenhof.nl
Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080321/298080
Video: http://pubstr.datiq.net/perssupport/keukenhofENG.wmv
COPYRIGHT © 2008
As a member of the International Olympic Committee His Royal Highness cut the ribbon, supported by the Honorable Ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China in the Netherlands, H.E. Mrs Xue Hanqin, the vice mayor of Beijing City, Mr Niu Youcheng, and the chairwoman of the Dutch Olympic Committee, Mrs Erica Terpstra. The latter, was an Olympic swimming champion in the Tokyo games in 1964, and is more or less an opening ceremony veteran as she performed in a similar ceremony in 1996.
There is a reason for the emphasis on sports. The Keukenhof exhibition selected 'China - The 2008 Olympics, Beijing', as this year's main theme. This influenced the opening programme. Amongst others, the Chinese MTV Award winners 2007 "China Girls" performed a very special concert. Bringing a mixture of both Chinese and western classic and pop music, played on an electrical violin, an electrical cello, a flute, as well as an erhu, the traditional Chinese knee violin.
According to Keukenhof general manager, Mr Piet de Vries, the flower exhibition has created a lot of interest in the cultural and historical influences of China. "Not only did we use events, the so called inspiration gardens and various flower shows, but we also created a huge Chinese dragon as well. By planting over 24,500 tulips and muscari flowers, we created a 15 by 10 metres mosaic of this traditional symbol for the new year," he says.
The Keukenhof programme consists of the well known successes like the Easter Hat Parade as well as specific thematic exhibitions. 'China - The 2008 Olympics, Beijing' will be recognizable in one of the gardens which was inspired by the Forbidden City, and includes an exhibition of pictures of common Chinese streets and an Olympic show.
Around 3.3 per cent of the 25.4 million foreign guests visiting The Netherlands pass through the Keukenhof ticket office, supporting the slogan 'You can't have seen Holland if you haven't visited Keukenhof'. Two-thirds of the approx. 840,000 annual visitors, go to see the result of 7 million flower bulbs in magnificent majesty, most originating from abroad.
SOURCE: Keukenhof
CONTACT: Annemarie Gerards of Keukenhof,
+31(0)252-465505,
a.gerards@keukenhof.nl
Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080321/298080
Video: http://pubstr.datiq.net/perssupport/keukenhofENG.wmv
COPYRIGHT © 2008
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