The closing ceremony of the 18th International Symposium on Fireworks (ISF) was held in the Republic of Malta on the evening of April 28 local time. Ettore Contestabile, chairman of the Board of Directors of International Symposium on Fireworks Society, announced that Liling City won the right to host the 19th ISF.

Founded in 1992, the ISF was initiated by industry experts and fireworks companies from the United States, Japan and other countries that mainly produce and sell fireworks. The symposium focuses on paper presentation, product exhibition, and fireworks display. It has been hailed as the "Olympics" of the fireworks industry. The 19th ISF is scheduled to be held in Liling in late April, 2025 and will attract more than 700 participants from all over the world.

At the closing ceremony, a person in charge of the Liling City government received the flag of the International Symposium on Fireworks Society from Ettore Contestabile, and invited on-site attendees to participate in the event.

Liling is one of the four main fireworks producers in China and one of the ten fireworks markets in the world. Liling enjoys the reputation of "the capital city of fireworks in China". According to industry insiders, selecting Liling as the host city for the ISF will not only promote the growth of its fireworks and firecrackers industry and foster urban development but also boost the city's popularity.