With the theme of A Midsummer Night's Dream, a 500-square-metre garden named the Liverpool Garden was built at the 10th China Flower Expo. On 18th May, distinguished guests from China and Britain jointly cut the ribbon for the opening of the Liverpool Garden. Guests in Liverpool, Shanghai's twinned city, attended the ceremony virtually. SBC was invited to this ceremony to represent one of our partners, Liverpool John Moores University, who contributed to the establishment of the garden.
Qi Quansheng, Chairman of Shanghai Federation of Returned Overseas, Liu Guangyong, Deputy Director of Foreign Affairs Office of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, Xue Hong, Member of the Standing Committee of Chongming District and President of the Overseas Friendship Association of Chongming District, Zhang Zhitong, Deputy Head of Chongming District, Yuan Gang, Vice Chairman of the CCP of Chongming District, Chris Wood, British Consul-General in Shanghai, Gao Xiang, Chairman of British Chamber of Commercial in Shanghai, and Professor Laura Bishop, Principal of Sino-British College are seen in the group photo in Liverpool Garden.
We hope to express our gratitude to Liverpool for bringing the British style 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' to Chongming Island, so that we can enjoy British romance and beauty in Shanghai. Liu Guangyong, Deputy Director of Foreign Affairs Office of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, said. Since Shanghai and Liverpool became sister cities in 1999, they have carried out a series of cooperation and exchanges in economy, trade, education, culture, sports, urban development and planning. Since last year, Shanghai and Liverpool have stood together with mutual assistance amid difficulties to fight against COVID-19. Today, we take flowers as the medium to gather together. In the future, we are looking forward to more outcomes through mutual exchanges and cooperation.
Britain is known as a country of gardeners. The love of gardening has been integrated into the history of Britain and the daily life of British people. The horticultural culture of Liverpool also has a profound heritage. Through exquisite decoration and setting, it presents an authentic English village garden. The Liver bird, symbol of the city, is one of the Garden's landmarks.
