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44 I EUROPEAN SEED I EUROPEAN-SEED.COM n 18 May 2015 the International Fascination of Plants Day FoPD was organised for the third time under the umbrella of the European Plant Science Organisation EPSO. We are very proud to announce that the event was a great success with participants from all continents and cultures organising over 960 events to get the world fascinated by plants From Bosnia to Bolivia from South Africa to South Korea FoPD 2015 united a global research community and engaged the public with plant science on an unprecedented scale. Over 960 events in 56 countries In total 589 institutions in 56 countries around the globe opened their doors in order to stir up peoples enthusiasm and fascination about plants and their importance for sustainable production of food horticulture forestry as well as the non-food products such as paper timber chemi- cals energy and pharmaceuticals. Many plant science institutions universities botanical gardens schools and museums together with farmers and companies opened their doors with a variety of plant-based events for all the family. Nations across Europe were involved and an incredible 207 events were organ- ised in Poland and 127 events in Ukraine. Around the world thousands of seeds were planted and the public learned how something seemingly so small can create so many green lives. For example at the British Royal Botanic Gardens Kew visitors were able to join five tours of the science laboratories and see the Millennium Seed Bank vault. In Brazil workshops were related to cultivation of plants in pots and production of floral arrangements and the observation of birds and bees. In China thousands of people went to exhibitions on themes including plants and human lives trans- genic food security and endangered plants. In Russia children planted seeds and visited scientific laboratories. In the U.S. Grade 1 students learned how plants use their senses to explore and respond to their environment. An Example from Norway One example of a successful activity was presented by Trine Hvoslef-Eide at the recent EPSO General Meeting. At the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and the Bioforsk Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research in s Norway Trine organized a plant production course. Students cultivated their own plants and sold them during FoPD. The students chose four species and were involved in every stage of the cultivation sowing pricking potting pinning and fertilising. They needed to find the facts about plant growth and ask advice when stuck and even made economic calculations on the growth and sales of the plants. The proceeds were used to fund the education of Mkami a schoolgirl in Tanzania and provide 10 shelter boxes for families after the earthquake in Nepal. Trine felt having the students produce bedding plants of flowers and vegetables for sales on FoPD combines three excellent outcomes A TRULY GLOBAL CELEBRATION OF PLANT SCIENCE By EPSO