EuroSkills 2010: very promising, big challenge!
Still a year to go before EuroSkills 2010 will take place in Lisbon-Portugal, but yet necessary to start with preparations. For that reason the general secretary of FLORINT went to Portugal to meet various relevant people and organizations and talk about possible co-operation and division of tasks as to the floristry competition at this second edition of the EuroSkills event.
Organizing a competition without enough support of people and/or organizations in the country where the event takes place is practically impossible. That’s why all the European floristry contests always are a co-operation project of FLORINT and the national florist association of the country involved. The fact that the Portuguese Florist Association actually goes to some sort of crisis doesn’t make things easier, thus. Nevertheless the meeting with Mr. Rui Martins, president of the AFP, was a very fruitful one. Mr. Martins promised personally to give all possible efforts to make this contest a success. He was fully aware of the importance of this floristry competition to be successful, which could also implicate new impulses to the vitality of AFP.
Very promising too was the meeting, in presence of Mr. Martins, with the general secretary of the Portuguese Association of Producers of Flowers and Plants. The APPP-FN is of the opinion that the EuroSkills event is a very promising stage for the promotion of Portuguese flowers and plants and showed great interest in co-operation with FLORINT as to the organization of this event. Not only as to the supply of flowers and plants, but also as to the necessary organizational efforts. That way the local organization support seems sufficiently guaranteed.
Last but certainly not of least importance was the meeting with representatives of the Portuguese Institute for Education and Employment (IEFP). In this meeting also Mr. Rui Martins was present as well as Mr. Thom ter Stege, general secretary of the European Skills Promotion Organisation (ESPO). IEFP, together with ESPO are in fact the parties responsible for the whole EuroSkills event. After a good conversation it became clear that IEFP as well as ESPO put a high value on the presence of a floristry competition at this event. Support will be given in various practical ways: square meters, stands, boarding etc. The plans however have to be made by FLORINT, also the initiative for recruitment of participants. IEFP will supply FLORINT with the means to play the necessary coordinating role. Mr. Martins will do the coordinating work locally and was thus appointed “shop-master”. The terms for a successful event were thus filled in, as far as the practical organization is concerned.
Too bad that just after these promising meetings the notice was received that the application for a Leonardo da Vinci partnership, aiming at the preparation of the EuroSkills floristry competition, had been turned down as to “lack of money”. Very disappointing, seeing all the positive signs that had been given on beforehand. This complicates good preparations, but nevertheless the perspective of a successful floristry competition at this event, where more than 50.000 spectators are expected, is clear. It will however certainly be a big challenge!
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