In recognition of the growing importance of South America to the global economy and to the global exhibition industry, UFI President Xianjin Chen, recently signed a formal Memorandum of Understanding with Andres Lopez Valderama, President of AFIDA.
PARIS – UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, has announced the creation of its Latin America Chapter as a complement to its existing European, Asia/Pacific and Middle East/Africa Chapters. In recognition of the growing importance of South America to the global economy and to the global exhibition industry, UFI President Xianjin Chen, recently signed a formal Memorandum of Understanding with Andres Lopez Valderama, President of AFIDA, the Asociacion Internacional de Ferias de America. The two associations agree to work together to promote and support the mutual interests of the members of both organisations and to support the continued development of a successful and professional exhibition industry in the region.
Chen applauded the creation of the new UFI Chapter, saying, “After 10 years of vigorous expansion in Asia and the Middle East, this part of the world is now a top priority for UFI. There is a lot of talk and excitement about Latin America where we are seeing increased interest from our members around the world. This is no longer a market of tomorrow; it is clearly a market of today.”
As Chair of UFI’s Associations Committee, Lopez Valderama has been instrumental in bringing AFIDA and UFI members together. The creation of this new UFI Chapter will serve to promote closer ties and networking opportunities between Latin America’s leading exhibition companies and the international exhibition community. His role will be instrumental in ensuring that the UFI Chapter activities are complementary with those of AFIDA. Lopez commented on the formation of the Latin America Chapter of UFI saying, “The creation of the UFI Latin America Chapter is welcomed by many in the region. UFI will provide programmes and services that will certainly contribute to the professional quality of the exhibition industry. I am certain that many organisations will recognize this and benefit from UFI membership in the months ahead.”
A meeting of UFI and AFIDA members and other Latin America exhibition related companies is planned to be held in Bogota on March 11. Among the programmes for consideration are the development of improved industry information and quality data research related to the exhibition business in the region. Opportunities will also be examined with a view to facilitating international business and partnerships.
UFI has announced that its 81st Congress will be held in Sao Paulo in November 2014.
Photo caption: Andres Lopez Valderama (AFIDA President) and Xianjin Chen (UFI President) recently signed an MOU creating UFI’s Latin America Chapter and aimed at developing programmes for the exhibition industry in region.
