The AIPH (International Association of Horticultural Producers) Annual Congress was held in Belgium from September 13-19, 2025. Turkey was represented at the congress by İsmail Yılmaz, Chairman of the Central Anatolia Ornamental Plants Exporters' Association, Deputy Secretary General Esra ARPINAR, and Chief Gülşen BAY.
75 foreign delegates from 20 AIPH member countries attended the congress, which also included the election of the AIPH Board of Directors. Leonardo CAPITANIO from Italy was elected AIPH President for the 2025-2028 term, and Jack GOOSSENS from the Netherlands was elected Vice President. İsmail Yılmaz, President of the Ornamental Plants and Products Exporters' Association, was re-elected to the Board of Directors as the representative of Region VI.
İsmail Yılmaz, President of the Ornamental Plants and Products Exporters' Association, has been a member of the AIPH Board of Directors since 2019. Türkiye’s participation in the Board of AIPH is of great importance for our country to increase its international influence and host new Expo organizations.
The congress program included an Expo Conference, a General Assembly Meeting, and sectoral visits. At the International Expo Conference, organizers of AIPH-approved Expos shared current presentations. Officials from Expo Izmir, who applied for Expo in 2027, also presented on current developments.
The AIPH General Assembly agenda included current information on AIPH membership, financial status, the General Secretariat's activity report, and AIPH strategy. Member countries attending the congress also shared presentations on sectoral developments in their respective countries. The congress included visits to sectoral companies in Ghent and Brussels.