Brussels, 29 October 2012.

Wood comes into our lives not only by growing all around us, but by providing us with shelter, by offering us comfort, by drifting toward us. Wood can be a vehicle to immortalize our passage through this world and it reminds us of our personal relation with nature. It now also comes to the European Parliament in

Brussels under the form of art.

I

n this spirit, Mr Gaston Franco, MEP and President of the Club du Bois, hosts an exhibition from 3 to 7 December

2012 in the Altiero Spinelli building of the European Parliament to raise awareness among his colleagues on the many advantages of wood use for Europe. The exhibition is organized by the European Confederation of Woodworking Industries (CEI‐Bois), the European Organisation of the Sawmill Industry (EOS) and the European Panel Federation (EPF).

Works and installations of renowned European artists using wood: Stephan Balkenhol (Germany), Gorzo Dumitru

(Romania), Arne Quinze (Belgium), Philippe Ramette (France) and Richard Long (UK) will be displayed in a “wood garden” and highlight a selection of the best harvested wood products art can produce. The exhibition was set up

by curator Dany Vandenbossche, president of the progressive Culture Foundation Vermeylen, with the advice of Prof. Jan Hoet, founder of the City Museum for Contemporary Art in Ghent, Belgium and curator of Documenta IX

(Kassel, Germany). Through the art, the industry wants to raise awareness and increase knowledge over the special role of wood and wood products in the fight against climate change and showcase the plentitude of opportunities

offered by the material.

Subtitle of the exhibition ‘Plant a second forest’, refers to the carbon stock from the forest that remains in harvested wood products, which prolong the storage of the carbon as captured by the trees. The role of carbon storage to integrate climate change is currently under discussion within the European Parliament.

During the week of the exhibition, the artists will also participate in events hosted by diplomatic representations and national federations. Also, various scientific and policy debates will take place, including the presentation of a report on wood flows and carbon sequestration in Europe by Prof. Udo Mantau of the Forestry Center of the University of Hamburg. The presence of wood in daily life will be made characteristically discreet, as the flooring, partitions and furniture in the wood garden will be made from European wood products.

“The feeling is one of communion with nature, thanks to a material that needs little transformation to become part of our daily lives”, said Laszlo Döry, Chairman of EPF and Vice‐Chairman of CEI‐Bois, “this very building is an example of the importance of incorporating long‐lasting beauty in our demanding political world”.

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Save the date!

Press preview on Monday 3 December 2012. An official invitation will be sent in due time.

Press contacts:

For Wood in Sustainable Development:

• Mr Ladislaus Döry, President of EPF and Vice‐Chairman of CEI‐Bois, +43 69910201181 (mobile),

laszlo1609@gmail.com. (languages : English, German, French, Italian and Spanish)

• Filip De Jaeger, Secretary General CEI‐Bois, +32 2 556 25 85, +32 486 81 84 (mobile), filip.de.jaeger@ceibois.
• org, www.cei‐bois.org (languages : English, Dutch, French and German)
• Kris Wijnendaele, Secretary General EPF, +32 2 556 25 89, +32 472 651884 (mobile)

kris.wijnendaele@europanels.org, www.europeanpanels.eu (languages: English, Dutch, French and

German

For the Exhibition and the artists:

• Dany Vandenbossche, curator, +32/(0)475/61 39 63 (mobile), Dany.vandenbossche@telenet.be.

(languages: English, Dutch and French)

Graphic and video materials:

High‐resolution visuals of the individual art work and of the exhibition concept are available by contacting

Dany.vandenbossche@telenet.be