Esprit Bonsai International – August 2019

#101 EspritBonsaiInternational - 9

l’Albigeois. Albi was certainly up to the mark,
and it was under stormy skies that this beautiful
southern French city offered bonsai lovers and in-
trigued members of the public a high-level event
at the Le Sequestre exhibition centre.

“It’s just mind-blowing”
The doors to the exhibitions and the many
talks and demonstrations opened after lunch on
the Friday, amid a convivial, friendly atmosphere.

At the end of the afternoon, a reception at

the City Hall, led by Albi’s Mayor, Stéphanie

Guiraud-Chaumell – whose speech was trans-

lated into English by Steve Jackson, a municipal

councillor – made the festival’s opening official.

Jean-Marie Couderc and his team from the Bon-

saï Club de l’Albigeois were thanked for having

the courage to take on this challenge.

Over the three days of the event there were a

series of receptions, each time with a speech 

French and European trees and suiseki seemed to be
protected by the works of the artist Casimir Ferrer.

The officials, during the reception at the City Hall. From left to right: Pierre Bédès

(Deputy Mayor of Albi and 1st vice-president of the EBA), Marc Noelanders (EBA

president), Detlef Mostler (EBA secretary), Philippe Massard (FFB president),

Pierre Chantry (AFAS), Stéphanie Guiraud-Chaumeil (Mayor), Jean-Marc Pouillon

(AFAS president), Jean-Marc Couderc (president of the Bonsaï Club de l’Albigeois

• BCA); Gudrun Benz (ESA), in a pink suit, next to Nadine Echivard (BCA).

EBA Merit

Award:

shohin

composition

by

Francesco

Forno,

Fabrizio

Zorzi and

Diego

Fortuna.