BRAZIL - Movelsul Brasil, the largest furniture fair in Latin America programmed to be held  from  16 to 19 March  in the Event Park of Bento Gonçalves announced its postponement on Friday 13th,  when the 251 exhibitors – furniture companies throughout Brazil of the high-scale segments, decoration, projected furniture and corporate furniture, as well as technologies and visitor services – were taken care of final preparations.

In terms of attendance, Movelsul Brasil expected around 30 thousand professional visitors, including a significant number of foreigners coming from at least 30 countries. Considering the announcement of the coronavirus pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the successive government decrees advising against events with large crowds, holding the event became unfeasible.

The president of Movelsul Brasil, Vinicius Benini, points out that the fair is working to minimize losses and support all the parties involved – “but we must be aware that the postponement of Movelsul is a decision in favor of life, supported by recently published municipal and state decrees. This decision was aimed at preserving the health of the fair's exhibitors, visitors, importers, service providers and the community in general. A new date will be set to hold an even stronger Movelsul and with great business for the furniture industry”, he said.

This is an unprecedented chapter in the history of the fair and its promoting entity, the Furniture Industry Association of Bento Gonçalves (Sindmóveis). Never before in its 43 years of existence has Movelsul Brasil been postponed - especially as the installation of booths had almost been completed. 1981 was the only year when the organizers of the event decided not to hold the show due to the severe economic crisis that struck the country at that time, but this happened still in the planning phase of the fair. Thus, the third Movelsul was held in 1982 and thereafter the fair's calendar, which is biennial, was programmed for even years.

The fair's organizers are studying a new date and all official channels of the event will be promptly updated as soon as a decision is made.