IBA Conference 2020: Let’s explore Ukraine!
Very recentely, Ukraine has joined the International Blackcurrant Association. Their involvement starts with a huge project: the promise to host the next IBA conference 2020 – in Lviv!
Where are we going?
You may think that we are desperately trying to challenge your linguistic skills when we choose the locations for our international conferences. After Goes, Nyborg, Waldenburg, Bialowieza and Angers (others were easier to pronounce…), we are now off for LVIV (in phonetical writing: [lʲviu̯]). This time, we give you another challenge. You will also have to adapt to a new alphabeth for reading: Cyrillic! But luckily, you may find other spellings and pronounciations for the city, more suitable for your tongue, like Lwow or Lemberg. It is the same place, and it is in Western Ukraine, not far from the Polish border. This is where we will hold the IBA conference 2020, and explore blackcurrants in Ukraine.
Blackcurrants in Ukraine
Western Ukraine is a huge berry growing area. Even though Ukraine also grows blackcurrants around Kiev and further east in the country, the recently created Ukrainian Berries association has chosen Lviv for our conference. The city, with less than a million inhabitants, is the largest in Western Ukraine. It has nice facilitites for hosting conferences. And it has a beautiful historical center, which is on the UNESCO world heritage list.
Some bit of history
As you may know, Ukraine has not always been independent. After several hundred years of foreign domination (Kingdom of Poland before the 17th, Habsburg Empire in the 19th, and Soviet Union in the 20th century, mainly), we will visit a young independent country. Ukraine has become a part of the free trade area with the European Union in 2016. Blackcurrant growing is expanding in Ukraine. Most probably, their production will soon largely influence the world’s blackcurrant industry.
How to come to the IBA conference 2020 in Lviv
It may be too early yet to make your travel arrangements. But as usual, we will give you all the information you need in one of our website sections. We will update you with uselful hints for travelling, for the venue and many more. In the meantime, you may already check out general information on Lviv, on the Ukrainian blackcurrant industry, flights leading to Lviv and administrative information for visas (if requested).
We are looking forward to meeting you in Lviv for the IBA conference 2020!
“Situated just like Rome on seven hills, among the woods, in the valley of the Poltva River, Lviv was always noted for both an advantageous strategic position and an exceptionally beautiful landscape.” is what the tourist office of Lviv says.
Doesn’t it sound really exciting?