KHARTOUM, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Khartoum this week hosted its first Flower Festival in nearly three years, a rare sign of recovery in a city scarred by war. The weeklong event is the largest horticulture and landscaping exhibition held in the capital since fighting erupted in April 2023.
More than 150 companies and producers from across Sudan are taking part, showcasing ornamental flowers, seedlings, fruit trees and landscape designs. Some plants are being displayed publicly for the first time, organizers said.
The exhibition space is lined with red, yellow and purple blooms along green walkways and neatly planted beds. Flowering plants hang from baskets or sit in traditional clay pots reflecting local culture. Despite limited resources, organizers focused on presenting natural beauty as a statement of resilience.
"This event carries deep symbolic meaning," said Abu Bakr Al-Tayeb, director general of natural resources and forests at Khartoum State's Ministry of Agriculture. He said the festival shows the city reclaiming its civil and cultural life after destruction and fear.
"This is the first exhibition since Khartoum State was retaken," Al-Tayeb said. "Many of the flowers are being shown for the first time. Khartoum is beginning to regain its green cover."
Crowds of families, young people, and older residents wandered through the displays, taking photos and exchanging tips on plant care.
"We went through very difficult years, when talking about flowers felt like a luxury," said Riham Mustafa, a flower enthusiast visiting a booth with local and imported roses. "Today it feels like Khartoum is breathing again."
Ahmed Abdullah, who attended with friends, said the contrast was striking. "This garden was a frightening place just months ago," he said. "Now we're walking among flowers. That alone gives people hope."
The festival is organized by Marina Gardens near Nile Street, one of the capital's main thoroughfares. Organizers said the goal is to support local producers and promote a green economy, alongside restoring public life.
"The return of exhibitions like this helps revive production chains disrupted for years," said Mohamed Al-Saudi, director of Marina Gardens and head of the organizing committee.
The festival comes as Khartoum slowly resumes economic and social activity after the war devastated infrastructure and daily life. While damage remains widespread, the colors, scents, and crowds offer a brief sense of normalcy.
"Amid the noise, the flowers and the smiles, Khartoum felt -- even for a moment -- like a city celebrating life," said visitor Ali Omer.
According to the International Organization for Migration, nearly 1.4 million people have returned to Khartoum. The Sudanese government moved its headquarters back to the capital in January. The army said in May 2025 it had secured full control of Khartoum State after more than two years of fighting.
Sudan has been in conflict since April 2023, with battles between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces killing tens of thousands and displacing millions.
