Singapore has sent its initial application to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to recognise the 154-year-old Botanic Gardens as a world heritage site.
Local media says that the campaign for the gardens to be considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site was initiated in December 2012.
If selected by UNESCO, the 74-hectare park will be the first world heritage site of Singapore and it will join the Royal Botanic Gardens in London and the Orto Botanico in Italy on the prestigious list.
The Singapore Botanic Gardens lie on the edge of downtown Singapore and were founded in 1859 by the Agri-Horticultural Society while the island was under British colonial rule. They boast over 30,000 plant and tree species as well as a swan lake and amphitheatre where classical music and other concerts are held.
The Gardens are also known for the National Orchid Garden, the largest display of tropical orchids in the world with over 1,000 species and 2,000 hybrids.
In the National Orchid Garden, there is an area reserved for VIPs, called VIP Orchid Garden. This collection features orchid hybrids named after visiting state dignitaries and VIPs, including Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher, state leaders in Singapore in 2009 for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting, one of them being Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet.
Former President Triet was presented the Spathoglottis Phong "Chi", named after his wife Madam Tran Thi Kim Chi.
According to Singaporean hospitality industry’s data, the Singapore Botanic Gardens saw around 4 million visitors out of 14.4 million foreigners visiting the 5.4 million city-state last year.-VNA
Local media says that the campaign for the gardens to be considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site was initiated in December 2012.
If selected by UNESCO, the 74-hectare park will be the first world heritage site of Singapore and it will join the Royal Botanic Gardens in London and the Orto Botanico in Italy on the prestigious list.
The Singapore Botanic Gardens lie on the edge of downtown Singapore and were founded in 1859 by the Agri-Horticultural Society while the island was under British colonial rule. They boast over 30,000 plant and tree species as well as a swan lake and amphitheatre where classical music and other concerts are held.
The Gardens are also known for the National Orchid Garden, the largest display of tropical orchids in the world with over 1,000 species and 2,000 hybrids.
In the National Orchid Garden, there is an area reserved for VIPs, called VIP Orchid Garden. This collection features orchid hybrids named after visiting state dignitaries and VIPs, including Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher, state leaders in Singapore in 2009 for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting, one of them being Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet.
Former President Triet was presented the Spathoglottis Phong "Chi", named after his wife Madam Tran Thi Kim Chi.
According to Singaporean hospitality industry’s data, the Singapore Botanic Gardens saw around 4 million visitors out of 14.4 million foreigners visiting the 5.4 million city-state last year.-VNA
