U Zaw Min Tun said, “We hold this festi­val to make the Nation­al Kandawgyi Garden a distinctive and unique attraction. We aim to display seasonal flowers in one place at the same time, with creative and ex­ceptional designs, so that visitors can fully enjoy the experience. We intend to establish an international­ly appealing annual flower festival for both domestic and foreign travellers, to support Myanmar’s floral industry, to foster public appreciation for environ­mental conservation, to promote Myanmar’s tour­ism sector, and to contrib­ute to regional develop­ment. This year, we have also prepared various floral displays that differ from those of previous years”.

During the one-month festival period, live musical performances and other entertainment programmes will be pre­sented, particularly on busy days, including the opening ceremony. Ad­ditional performances, such as music shows, magic shows and dance presentations, will be held during Christmas, New Year, Independence Day and weekend holidays.

A market will also be opened on the festival grounds, offering consum­er goods and food items, as well as a special exhi­bition area showcasing regional products, locally made goods, and displays of trees and flowers for sale, it is learnt.

The Na t i o n a l Kandawgyi Garden covers 436.96 acres, comprising 366.96 acres of land and about 70 acres of lake area. Established in 1924, the Garden has been man­aged on a 15-year lease by the Htoo Group of Compa­nies since 2010. — ASH/ KZL