(October 17, 2002) The smallest of all groundbreaking ceremonies for the largest of all events.

It was, to say the least, a highly unusual groundbreaking ceremony. Breaking the ground of what will soon be one of the world's largest garden exhibitions was a toy shovel. It was wielded by a performance artist, Ruth Geiersberger.

To be held in 2005 in Messestadt Riem, Germany's National Garden Festival (to give its full name) itself will, fittingly enough, also have a number of imaginative touches, including a garden configured to depict a living cell. One way of viewing this will be from the People Mover, whose elevated track will form one of the exhibition's landmarks.

The planting of the gardens, the construction of the People Mover, the arena and other parts of the exhibition will be completed over the next three years. Work on the exhibition actually began in 1997, with the planting of Messestadt Riem's park. Planned by the Paris-based Latitude Nord, the park is 200 hectares large. Forming more than one third of the community's green area, the park will host a large part of the Exhibition.

For further information, please contact
Max-Joseph Kronenbitter
BUGA 2005 GmbH
Paul-Wassermann-Straße 3
81829 München
Tel.: (089) 412 005 21
Fax: (089) 412 005 90
E-Mail: max.kronenbitter@buga2005.de
www.buga2005.de