The Flanders International Trade Fair, based in Ghent, was founded in 1946. It was the first official trade fair in a liberated Europe. As an annual autumn event in the difficult postwar years, it not only played a key role in the economic recovery of Ghent. By its international scope and quickly growing prestige the Flanders Trade Fair also largely contributed to the cooperation between European countries and with the rest of the world. 

The international scope and renown are reflected in the many guests that appear in the photo collection of the Flanders International Trade Fair, recently acquired by Liberas. The following selection shows some of the prominent foreign visitors and special guests who were received in the first 25 years of the Fair.