May 10 – 13, 2024 | UCLG ASPAC, represented by President, Governor Dakila Carlo Cua and Secretary General Dr. Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi, signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Goyang Special City, represented by Mayor Lee Dong-hwan, formalising the preparation for the 10th UCLG ASPAC Congress to be hosted by Goyang in autumn 2025. This agreement underscores the commitment of both parties to ensure the Congress’ success.
The Preparation Begins
As the interest in hosting formalised, a visit to several key sites of the upcoming event was made. The Hyundai Motorstudio Goyang, renowned as the largest mobility theme park in South Korea, for example, is slated to be one of the technical visit locations in the 10th UCLG ASPAC Congress in 2025. The visit provided valuable insights into the logistical and thematic possibilities for the Congress. Secretary General Bernadia also had the chance to visit KINTEX, the designated venue for the 10th UCLG ASPAC Congress. The inspection was crucial in assessing the suitability and readiness of the venue for hosting such a significant event.
There was also a preparatory meeting with the International Cooperation Team of Goyang Special City. The meeting was conducted to delve into the intricate details of the 10th UCLG ASPAC Congress. Points of discussion included: dates and venue confirmation, theme and sub-theme selection, target number of participants, and organisational arrangements. It was decided that a task force team for the Congress would be established the following year.
President Cua used the occasion to also propose the establishment of a UCLG ASPAC garden during the Goyang Autumn Flower Festival. President Cua and Secretary General Bernadia also attended the last day of the 2024 International Horticulture Expo Goyang Korea, an event hosted by Goyang from April 26 to May 12, 2024. This year’s exhibition, taking theme “Earth, Environment, and flowers”, was the largest in the event’s history and gathered around 50 cities from 30 countries and approximately 200 organisations and groups. Around 100 million flowers from about 1,000 species were displayed, including the leading varieties from each country. Word of mouth about the event attracted many visitors to come to the festival, located at Ilsan Lake Park in Goyang.
