DLUXstudios.com is the creative practice of Art Director, Designer & Illustrator Sean Gallagher. Sean lives & works in New York. He likes skateboarding & Robochan.
100,000 flowers for you NYC!
November 16th, 2008
Several people involved with this are near and dear to my heart, and I feel privileged to witness such an amazing expression of peace and joy.
Tomorrow morning New Yorkers in Times Sqaure, Penn Station, Grand Central and Wall Street will be the recipients of 100,000 beautiful flowers, from the people of Columbia, South America.
I am truly looking forward to being surrounded by literally, tens of thousands of beautiful flowers, carnations and roses, that represent a social message from Columbia’s top fair trade flower exporters.
Continue on for the full press release.
Colombia Brings Land of Flowers to New York City
100,000 Flowers to be Handed Out to New Yorkers
Flowers Foster Social Change in Colombia
Before the hustle and bustle of the holidays, New Yorkers may need a gentle reminder to stop and smell the roses. On November 17th, thousands will have the chance when more than 100,000 Colombian-grown, fresh-cut blooms will be handed out on city streets as part of the Colombia, Land of Flowers campaign. The collaborative effort of Asocolflores (Association of Colombian Flower Exporters) and Florverde®, USAID-Colombia and the Colombian Consulate will celebrate the beauty and success of the Colombian flower industry.
“We are thrilled to share the beauty of our flowers with New Yorkers,” said Augusto Solano, President of Asocolflores. “The Colombia, Land of Flowers” initiative is a wonderful opportunity to give others the chance to enjoy and appreciate Colombian flowers and learn more about our how our growers are changing the lives of those they employ and their families.” Asocolflores represents 317 flower growers.
Thousands of roses and carnations will be distributed by street teams located at Wall Street, Penn Station, Grand Central Station and Times Square.
“Over the past several years, the Colombian flower industry has flourished, resulting in successful practices and programs changing the social landscape of our country.” said Mr. Solano. Colombia is the largest supplier of fresh-cut flowers to the U.S. – exporting nearly $1 billion in 2007.
The growth of the flower industry in Colombia has enabled social programs such as Florverde®, a unique third-party certification program to ensure that flowers grown and harvested in Colombia meet stringent social and environmental standards. It was established more than twelve years ago by a progressive group of Colombian flower growers. As a result, today the program assists more than 45,000 Colombian workers and families through multiple initiatives ranging from continuing education and healthcare to housing and childcare.
The quality of Colombia-grown flowers and practices is also recognized globally. Last summer, GlobalG.A.P. (The Global Partnership for Good Agricultural Practice) awarded Florverde the GlobalG.A.P. International Seal for its socio-environmental practices. Most recently, the Russian Flower Show awarded 22 Colombian farms with gold and silver medals of distinction for flower quality.
To further demonstrate its leadership in corporate social responsibility, Asocolflores has joined together with the U.S. government, through the United States Agency for International Development in Colombia (USAID/Colombia). USAID supports job training in the cultivation and processing of flowers, job placement and social services to victims of the Colombian conflict.
“We are proud of our work with Asocolflores,” said Susan Reichle, the Director of USAID/Colombia. “Together we are giving people the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty and rebuild their lives.”
About Asocolflores www.asocolflores.org
Asocolflores was created in 1973 as a non-profit industry association to promote Colombia’s flower sector in international markets and seek the comprehensive development of floriculture, especially in terms of scientific research, transportation, environmental sustainability and workers’ welfare. Twelve years ago, Asocolflores established a unique, third-party, certification program called
About Florverde http://www.florverde.org to further ensure that flowers grown and harvested in Colombia meet stringent international social and environmental standards. Today, the program boasts more than 170 farms and an estimated 700 million flower stems certified under this program are sold worldwide annually.
About Ethical Trade www.ethical-trade.org
Ethical Trade www.ethical-trade.org gives expert support to a range of organizations, companies, charities and Governments whose vision is for a fairer, more ethical world. They provide expert marketing, media and product development support as well as further services aimed at giving ethically responsible projects a greater opportunity on the world stage.
About USAID/Colombia (www.usaid.gov/locations/latin_america_caribbean/country/colombia/ <http://www.usaid.gov/locations/latin_america_caribbean/country/colombia/> )
The United States has a long history of extending a helping hand to those people overseas struggling to make a better life, recover from a disaster or striving to live in a free and democratic country. It is this caring that stands as a hallmark of the United States around the world – and shows the world our true character as a nation. In Colombia, the U.S. Government, through USAID, supports efforts to achieve peace, promote economic prosperity and improve the living conditions of Colombia’s most vulnerable groups.
Contact: Michael Penn
Ethical Trade
212-580-7988
mpmedia@michaelpenn.net
Mary DiBrita
Circle Public Relations
708-974-0828
mary@circlepublicrelations.com