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next stop: montréal 2017

20.10.2015 News

Sheila Copps, Organizing Chair of WSDO and Chair of the Board of Directors of the 2017 World Design Summit with IDC Chair Dr. Swoo K Suh and Don Ryun Chang, Organising Chair of IDC

The final day of the Gwangju International Design Congress concluded with the public launch of the World Design Summit - Montréal 2017 at a special session led by WDSO President Sheila Copps and IDC Chair Dr. Swoo K Suh attended by hundreds of official representatives of the international design community. The session featured World Design Summit Steering Committee members ico-D (International Council of Design), IFHP (International Federation for Housing and Planning) and IFLA (International Federation of Landscape Architects) as well as Gwangju Congress participants ICSID, IFI, Cumulus, IxDA and SDN.

All recognised the unique opportunity presented by the 2017 World Design Summit and the need for active participation by all components of the international design community.

In her Congress keynote address, World Design Summit Organization President Sheila Copps challenged the international design community to make themselves heard. At the final summit session she said: "If you look around this room you have enough brain power to change the planet whether you’re building houses or figuring out how to communicate principles of design to ordinary citizens. Designers have the potential to engage government leaders to take action."

Sheila Copps, Organizing Chair of WSDO and & Chair of the Board of Directors of the 2017 World Design Summit

ico-D President Elect David Grossman said: "A well-designed world is environmentally sustainable, economically viable, socially equitable and culturally diverse. Therefore, a well-designed world is a basic human right. ... The 2017 World Design Summit "train" has left the station. There is a clear track to the destination in Montreal. ico-D calls on the international design community to mobilize, collaborate and unite to make the Summit a success."

ico-D President Elect David Grossman

In the coming months, further details will be released concerning the structure and contents of the 2017 Summit and the accompanying Congress. Additional official participants in the Summit will be announced as the recruiting process progresses. This is a monumental effort that promises to have an historic impact on the international design community.

The participating organisations signed the Eeum Design Declaration calling on the international community to actively collaborate to ensure the success of the 2017 World Design Summit - Montréal.

Eeum Design Declaration was read to the participants by IDC Chair Dr. Swoo K Suh signed by (from left to right): Sebastiano Raneri (President IFI), David Grossman (President Elect, ico-D), Don Ryun Chang (Organising Chair of IDC2015), Mugendi M’Rithaa (President Icsid) among others.