International Garden Symposium Held at Jinju Indoor Gymnasium
Jinju City in South Gyeongsang Province, which aspires to become a hub city for the garden industry, announced on June 16 that it has successfully hosted the "2025 International Garden Symposium," a major academic event of the 2025 Korea Garden Industry Expo.
The symposium, held under the theme "Revitalizing Communities Through Gardens," took place at the Chojon Park Gymnasium in Jinju City. It concluded with great success, attended by over 300 participants, including garden experts from around the world, representatives from domestic institutions, and local citizens.
The symposium featured keynote speeches, thematic presentations, and Q&A sessions by renowned speakers from both Korea and abroad. The keynote address was delivered by Michelle Provaznik, President of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA), who opened the event by sharing examples of "Building Community Networks Through Public Gardens."
In the following thematic presentations, Tim Upson, Director of Gardens and Horticulture at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Wisley Garden in the UK, introduced cases of "Creating Gardens for Communities." Lim Kiat Fong Dennis, Group Director at Singapore's Nparks, shared the case of "Singapore: A City United by Gardens." Patrick Griffiths, Director of the Montgomery Botanical Center in the United States, presented on community garden management in the US, allowing for the exchange of experiences from various countries.
Among the Korean presenters, Jung Mi-ae, a researcher at the Korea National Arboretum, discussed cases of regional revitalization through gardens in Korea. Kang Taeho, Professor Emeritus at Dongguk University, presented on the utilization of gardens in the South Gyeongsang region.
Subsequently, a Q&A and comprehensive discussion session was held, chaired by Professor Kang Taeho, in which the speakers and audience participated, further energizing the symposium.
Joo Kyu-il, Mayor of Jinju City, who attended the event, stated in his congratulatory remarks, "This symposium was a valuable opportunity to reflect together on the future of the city through gardens," emphasizing that "it will serve as an important milestone for Jinju as it grows into the center of garden culture."
The "2025 International Garden Symposium" is one of the core programs of the "2025 Korea Garden Industry Expo," which opened on June 13. Its significance was further heightened by being held in Jinju City, a city renowned for its garden culture.
Jinju City plans to use this symposium as a stepping stone to establish sustainable cooperation systems with domestic and international garden-related organizations, and to create exemplary cases of urban regeneration and climate change response through gardens.
Meanwhile, during the 2025 Korea Garden Industry Expo, a garden conference will be held daily throughout the expo period. On June 16, a special lecture on gardens by Professor Yoo Hongjun is scheduled, and on June 17, the "Flower Shop Salon" event featuring actress Hwang Seokjeong will take place.
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