NABF Newsletter #8

Feature #15

The 5th World Bonsai Convention Update

The goal of the World Bonsai Friendship Federation (WBFF) is to spread world peace through bonsai. The convention will feature the talent and diversity of bonsai and suiseki masters from around the world. It will also honor Mr. Saburo Kato and the late Mr. John Naka for their vision and leadership.

During the convention, several benefit drawings will showcase the generosity of the bonsai and suiseki community. Donations by individuals, organizations, and corporations will play an important role in the success of this convention and will be prominently displayed with the donor’s name.

Donations will be gratefully accepted by:

Leila Kusumi, Chairperson, 5th WBC Benefit Drawing Committee
17111 Raymond Place
Gardena, CA 90247
USA

We hope to see you in Washington, D.C. in 2005.

This year's World Bonsai Contest is being renamed the “WBFF World Bonsai Contest 2004”. Japan Airlines inaugurated the World Bonsai Contest in 1999 and, together with the Nippon Bonsai Association and the Japan Bonsai Growers Cooperative, has sponsored the contest for each of the past 5 years. WBFF is deeply grateful to Japan Airlines, the Nippon Bonsai Association and the Japan Bonsai Growers Cooperative for associating this year's contest with WBFF and the 5th World Bonsai Convention (WBC).

The Display of the 100 selected entries will the major exhibit in the International Pavilion of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington D.C., from May 28,2005 (the opening day of the 5th WBC) until December 2005. One grand prize and two runner-up prizes will be selected as winners from among the 100 selected entries.

The Awards Presentation Ceremony for the Contest will be organized by the 5th WBC Committee and will be held at the U.S. National Arboretum during the dinner scheduled as part of the 5th WBC, Sunday, May 29, 2005.

The entries must be sent to the following address by the October 31, 2004 deadline:

WBFF World Bonsai Contest 2004 Secretariat
c/o PATA Japan Chapter Secretariat
7F, 23 Azumi-cho, Shinjuku-ku
Tokyo 160-0005
Japan

For contest details, please visit www.worldbonsaicontest.com.

Please note that the entries can be submitted either
(1) by mailing photographs and film to be received by the Secretariat by October 31, 2004, or
(2) by emailing digital images in JPEG (size should be more than 1600 x 1200 pixels, image should not be cropped, and file should not be ZIPPED) to bonsai@patajapan.com by October 31, 2004.

If a person chooses to email digital images, he or she will not also need to mail any photograph and film to the Secretariat (unless requested to do so by the Secretariat because, for example, of the poor quality of the digital images submitted