EVENT: 2012 London Olympic Games

2012 Olympic Games will be held in London from 27 July to 12 August 2012. London will be the first city to officially host the modern Olympic Games three times having previously done so in 1908 and in 1948.

London was selected as the host city on 6 July 2005 during the 117th IOC Session in Singapore, defeating Moscow, New York City, Madrid and Paris.

The Olympics will see the construction of brand new, state of the art sporting facilities, as well as the use of existing facilities across the country. Olympic venues will be found all over London, with many in well known and popular locations such as Hyde Park. The 2012 Olympic Games Park and main stadium will be in Stratford, east London – which has been the focus of a huge re-generation project while sailing events will be held in Weymouth at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy.

As the budgetary considerations generated some criticism, the Games will make use of many venues which were already in place before the bid, including Wembley Stadium, Wembley Arena, Wimbledon All England Club, Lord's Cricket Ground, The O2 Arena, Earls Court Exhibition Center and the Excel Center.

2012 Summer Olympic Games will feature 26 sports and a total of 38 disciplines while there will be 20 sports and 21 disciplines for 2012 Paralympic Games.

EVENT: Expo 2012 Yeosu, Korea

Come and encounter the “ocean of the future”, join in the festivities of the 2012 World Expo as Yeosu, Korea hosts the most stylish and sophisticated World Fair from 12 May – 12 August 2012.

Expo 2012 is Korea’s second expo to be recognized by the BIE (Bureau of International Exhibitions), following the Daejeon Expo in 1993.The seaside Yeosu City venue highlights the main focus of the expo: the ocean and its value as a natural resource.

“The Living Ocean and Coast” is the hopeful theme of this year’s marine-focused World Expo showcasing floating pavilions, dazzling offshore multi-media shows, a vast Ocean Experience Park representing the world’s five major oceans and various forms of architectural grandeur which includes a mock-up, high-tech coastal city of 2050.

Exhibition centers include the Theme Center, Korea Center, Sub-theme Center (Climate Change & Environment, Ocean Industry & Technology, Ocean Civilization, Ocean City and Ocean Creatures), International Center, and Aquarium.

The 250,000 square meters exhibition area and auxiliary facilities have the geographical edge that comes from being adjacent to the ocean, and thus, is ideal for realizing the Expo theme. The site overlooks Hallyeosudo Marine National Park and Odong Island, and is surrounded by 317 jewel-like islets, having the perfect natural conditions to make the Expo’s theme come alive.

All these wonderful creations support the idea that human prosperity is inextricably tied to a healthier planet. This event is expected to draw 100 participating countries, generating millions of tourists who will be purchasing air tickets to Korea to attend the fair.

The expo theme aims to shed light on humankind’s knowledge and advancement of technology concerning the ocean and coast, and identify ways to resolve the challenges facing the ocean. It will serve as a timely reminder to the global community of the value of the sea, which is closely linked to the very existence of the human race. Many also hope that the expo will be a chance for nations to come together and discuss a new, unified vision for the world’s ocean environment.

EVENT: Hong Kong Flower Show 2012

Hong Kong Flower Show 2012 will be featuring ‘Floral Delights’ as its theme and “Hyacinth” as its theme flower. Hyacinths are spring-flowering bulbs with long, narrow leaves, which come in shades of red, blue, orange, pink, violet or yellow. This year’s flower show will be held from 16 to 25 March 2012 at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay.

The event will showcase the beauty of this exquisite plant and a rich profusion of exquisite potted plants, beautiful flower arrangements and gorgeous landscape displays by organizations from local, the Mainland and overseas. There will also be commercial stalls selling flowers and other horticultural products.

Hong Kong Flower Show is a major event organized by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department to promote horticulture and the awareness of greening. Every year, it provides a good opportunity for hundreds of thousands of local citizens and horticulture lovers all over the world to appreciate the beauty of flowers and share their experiences in the cultivation of flowers.

Apart from plant exhibit, the show also features photo and student drawing competition.

Visitors will have the chance to see impressive photographs of local and overseas exquisite flowers and plants on display, interesting or touching scenes captured at the Showground, as well as portraits of TVB artistes and Miss Hong Kong 2011 title holders against the backdrop of beautiful garden displays with a view to promoting community greening.

Meanwhile, entries for Yuen Institute Student Drawing Competition are sure to draw crowds with the student’s impressive drawings of exquisite flowers, rare plants and unique garden displays in the showground, with a view to enhance the public’s awareness on the importance of plants and natural environment conservation.

Other educational and recreational fringe activities include music and cultural performances, floral art demonstrations, cookery demonstrations, plant maintenance workshops, green stalls, guided visits, recreation programs and fun games for the enjoyment of all visitors of all ages.

EVENT: Singapore Hosts 1st Transformers Cybertron Convention in Southeast Asia

Singapore will hosts the first ever Transformer Cybertron Convention in Southeast Asia which will be held at Resorts World Sentosa from 11 to 14 March 2012.

The four-day event is expected to draw huge number of action block-buster fans from across the globe. Organizers urged fans who wish to attend the event to book their package and tickets fast, with prices starting at S$12 for a Day Pass.

As part of the Cybertron event, special guests will host panel session including Hideaki Yoke and Transformers brand experts from Hasbro, famous 22-foot tall Optimus Prime character statue will also make an appearance while drawing classes, three-dimensional action figure dioramas and National ‘Fastest Fingers First’ Challenge, testing convention goers’ skills at converting TRANSFORMERS action figures from “robot” to “vehicle” modes will keep enthusiasts busy.

Transformers Cybertron Con will be a spectacular brand extravaganza for fans, with different exhibits and activities that promise to bring smiles from the neophytes to even the most avid Transformers collectors and hobbyists.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to be part of Transformers history! Join the largest and first ever gathering of Transformers fans at Singapore Resorts World Sentosa, a first in Southeast Asia.

EVENT: I Light Marina Bay 2012

Themed “Lights Meets Asia”, i Light Marina Bay 2012, the second edition of Asia’s first and only sustainable light art festival will be held in Singapore from 9 March to 1 April 2012.

The event will showcase 30 innovative and environmentally sustainable light art installations by artists and designers from 17 countries and territories, with a strong focus on works from Asia. The art installations will be displayed along the Marina Bay waterfront, transforming the place into a magical space of light and color.

Festival Director, Ms Mary-Anne Kyriakou stated that the 30 artworks which will be featured in the event were selected from some 100 entries.

“We were thrilled that there was a significant increase in interest among artists to participate in this edition of I Light. Of these, 20 are new commissions especially designed for the Festival. We are confident that these artworks will not only create a visual feast that will inspire and capture the imagination of all our visitors, but also serve as a fitting testament to the importance of using energy-efficient lighting technology.”, she added.

In line with this year’s theme “Light Meets Asia”, 21 of the 30 artworks are created by artists and designers based in Asia. They include Cambodia-based artist Marine Ky, whose installation Receptacle challenges the rhythms of modern life and invites visitors to connect over shared experiences; Thai sculptor Be Takerng Pattanopas, whose work Gap the Mind makes use of the visual language of Thai culture to create a sense of tranquility in the urban environment; and a Hong Kong based LED artist.

Other artworks which will surely thrill the audiences include the interactive projection work from Portuguese multimedia design studio OCUBO called ‘Light of Merlion’ ,in which visitors will be able to cast colorful light projections on the surface of this iconic sculpture through an interactive touch-screen located at Merlion Park and ‘Key Frames” a multimedia light and sound installation from Groupe LAPS, a Paris –based design studio.

Mr Mark Goh, Deputy Director of Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) Place Management Department, remarked: “Not only do these 30 innovative light artworks collectively celebrate the unique qualities of Marina Bay’s night scape, they also draw attention to the importance of energy-efficient technology and the efforts that can be taken to ensure a sustainable urban environment for all. We look forward to welcoming both local and international visitors to explore the bay area with fresh perspective and enjoy the vibrancy of this exciting waterfront space.”

Apart from the visually arresting and interactive sustainable light art installations, visitors can also look forward to a full array of complementary programs and activities – including a night picnic and carnival, outdoor performances, guided light walk tours, educational talks and workshops.

EVENT: The Singapore Airshow 2012

The Singapore Airshow is Asia’s largest aerospace and defense event, and one of the Top 3 aviation functions worldwide. From masterful aerobatic displays to exciting fairground attractions, this event promises sky-high thrills as spectators get face-to-face with the power and glory of warbirds and graceful commercial aircrafts.

This event which showcase world-class exhibitors, serves as a global marketplace and networking powerhouse for the world’s aviation community. It has always been greeted with tremendous support from industry players and continues to be the only event of its kind that brings together heads of the international aviation community, including key political and military leaders. In 2010, the Airshow closed on a high note with deals and announcements worth about US$10 billion in spite of a recovering economy.

It also features a series of high-level conferences dedicated to leading players in the global aviation industry - the Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit and the Asia-Pacific Security Conference.

This year, Singapore Airshow will be a 6-day event, taking place from 14 to 19 February at the purpose-built Changi Exhibition Centre (CEC).The first 4 days of the event are exclusively for trade attendees while the final 2 weekend days are open to public.

The public can look forward to a spectacular aerobatic flying displays, which will be the highlight of the event. They can also see the latest aerospace technologies and innovations in the exhibition hall and meet the fleet of aviation stars at the aircraft static display area. For younger visitors, a world of fun and entertainment awaits them, with lucky draws, roving costumers, Wii and Kinect games and many other activities that are sure to fill the show ground with color and excitement.

Young and old, aviation enthusiasts or not, and anyone who enjoys a day of adrenaline-pumping revelry under the sun are bound to have a wonderful and exciting weekend at the Singapore Airshow 2012!