President Ma Ying-jeou attended the 2010 Taipei International Flora Exposition award ceremony on the evening of November 5. Premier Wu Den-yih and Taipei City Mayor Hau Lung-bin accompanied him to the "Dancing Butterflies" Expo Hall in the Fine Arts Park Area, and there the president told listeners how deeply he has been impressed by the expo, which was set to open the following day. Extoling the "power of beauty" of the expo, the president said the event will emphasize aesthetics while educating visitors about environmental protection. The president said he looks forward to a very successful expo during its half-year run.
The president commented that the expo synthesizes the efforts of experts in the fields of architecture, engineering, environmental protection, and the arts. The expo covers an area of near 92 hectares, and features a wonderful combination of technology and art, he said. While visitors will enjoy the beauty of the area, they will also see how the principles of "reduce, reuse, and recycle" can be applied to create green buildings, green energy, and green transportation, thus developing a better understanding of how man and nature can co-exist in harmony. The flora expo not only enhances visibility for Taiwan in the world arena, but also offers an opportunity for the world to come and see Taiwan, providing an excellent opportunity to showcase Taiwan's soft power, the president said.
President Ma applauded Mayor Hau and the city government for their efforts in enabling the expo to open on schedule and in grand fashion. He also expressed his appreciation to the distinguished guests from 70 nations in attendance at the opening of the expo, as well as International Association of Horticultural Producers President Dr. Doeke Faber, for their support.
After concluding his remarks, the president awarded top prize in the International Indoor Flora Competition to the State of Hawaii's Office in Taipei. The president, along with the other distinguished guests from abroad and representatives from local society, then enjoyed a performance to mark the opening of the expo.