Print 01's Global Dimension

To welcome the many people attending Print 01 from outside the United States—as many as one in eight—a number of special events and activities are being planned, reports Michael W. Hurley, director of international trade for NPES The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies, Reston, Va.

"The world is coming to Print—from more than 100 nations," Hurley says, "so we'll have plenty of activities at Print 01 to greet them: exhibits from a cross-section of countries, five International Days, plus conferences and social gatherings, all designed to foster understanding and the exchange of information."

Thousands of visitors will come from Canada and the Americas as the result of cooperation among the members of Panamgraph (Pan-American Confederation for Suppliers of the Graphics Industry), which NPES helped found four years ago. Members now represent Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and the U.S.

All Panamgraph members, besides having booths at the show, are sponsoring visitor delegations.

In addition, says Hurley, through a program arranged by the U.S. Department of Commerce and overseas embassies, "international buyer delegations" are expected from China, India, Japan, Russia, and Taiwan, plus first-ever representatives from Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

"On the opening day of the show, at a special Presidential Print Awards ceremony, we'll present a certificate and a gift from the White House to each of the presidents of as many as 20 visiting overseas associations," says Hurley. "Also, during the show, our International Business Center will be staffed with interpreters in eight languages."