10 December 2021 - 30 May 2022

The Announcement of Postponement of Expo 2021 Hatay

The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) and Hatay Metropolitan Municipality which has been working hard to organise Expo 2021 Hatay event with the theme of “Garden of Civilisations”, have decided to postpone the event to December 2021 due to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering the health conditions caused by the extraordinary spread of the epidemic in the World, Turkey and Hatay in recent months, AIPH proposed two alternative dates for the postponement of Expo 2021 Hatay to a future date. Hatay Metropolitan Municipality has decided to hold this international organisation between December 10, 2021 and May 30, 2022, taking into account the proposal of AIPH.

The International Horticultural Expo 2021 Hatay will be hosted at the sites in Antakya and Iskenderun and is expected to attract over two million visitors. This date change will ensure that the Expo 2021 Hatay which will be one of the first international events after pandemic, can be delivered to the highest possible standards and what it will achieve to stimulate city greening and sustainable development in the Hatay region as well as the local economy.”

Commenting on the change, AIPH Secretary General, Tim Briercliffe says, “It is very important that the host cities of Expo prioritize the health and safety of national and international participants and visitors. The decision to postpone Expo 2021 Hatay to December 2021 has been taken due to the huge impact of the pandemic, seriously endangering human life all over the world. The move of the opening of Expo 2021 Hatay until December 2021 is to ensure a safe Expo environment and experience for visitors to Hatay, as well as for national and international participants. The postponement will also allow more time for international participants to visit Hatay to prepare the construction of their gardens, pavilions and arrange their activities. This date change will ensure that the Expo 2021 Hatay can be delivered to the highest possible standards and what it will achieve to stimulate city greening and sustainable development in the Hatay region as well as the local economy. As AIPH, we will be happy to support you in whatever way we can and to work with you to make your Expo a great success.”

The Mayor of the Metropolitan Municipality of Hatay, Dr. Lütfü Savaş, explained the decision by saying, “While we are working with all our strength to organise Expo 2021 Hatay on 23rd April 2021, the Covid-19 pandemic has severely impacted normal life all over the world including in our city. We will turn this postpone decision into an opportunity and use the time until 10th December 2021 for Expo 2021 Hatay to be much more successful. We thank the AIPH for its cooperation and assistance in this process. The agreement of the postponement of Expo 2021 Hatay until December 2021 will mean that the citizens of Hatay, as well as many visitors and participants we will welcome to the Expo, can be assured that they will enjoy the region’s first major, international event at the Expo sites in Antakya and Iskenderun safely and securely.

Ahead of the official opening and following Expo 2021 Hatay, we will hold a series of exciting Expo related events on both the Antakya and Iskenderun sites and turn Hatay into a city of festivals. We will make fairs, seminars and conferences, especially artistic, cultural, gastronomy, youth and children’s activities, permanent in the life of Hatay. In this way, we will create an opportunity for our visitors to discover the beauty of Hatay and to visit again and again. As a result, we are very much looking forward to hosting what promises to be a beautiful and memorable Expo”.

AIPH approved International Horticulture Exhibitions promote cooperation and information sharing among countries that address important issues related to healthy lifestyles, green cities, sustainable living, education and innovation. Expo 2021 Hatay will last six months. This event’s participants and exhibitors include Turkish and international cities, cooperatives, universities, private companies, and non-governmental organisations. They will prepare gardens and pavilions promoting a better future under the subthemes of “Sustainable Development and Organic Agriculture”, “Good food for a Good Life”, “Medicinal and Aromatic Herbs for Health” and “Creative Roads on Cultural Brotherhood”.

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