MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Design Center of the Philippines is set to host the International Design Conference Manila at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez, CCP Black Box Theater, CCP Complex, Manila on September 14 to 15.
Global design icons, local names, and top government officials will gather at this biggest design conference in Manila from the United Kingdom, United States, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Singapore, and the Philippines to celebrate the power of design and creativity as it intersects with business, technology, and national policies.
Five international and award-winning women in design will be joining the stellar lineup of speakers in the two-day design conference to be attended by 1,000 participants in a hybrid format.
This year, award-winning design critic and author Alice Rawsthorn will be leading the speakers at the International Design Conference. Alice is a Senior Curator of Design at MoMA, New York, and has had a weekly design column for The New York Times for over a decade now. Another speaker, Christina Melander, is President of the European Design organization BEDA and part of the Think Tank for Design of the Danish Design Council. On the other hand, Daniela Bohlinger is Head of Sustainability Design at the BMW Group. She was one of the key players involved in the BMW Group’s in-house think tank which resulted in the BMW i3. Anna Whicher focuses on what design can deliver for businesses, government, and communities. Anna also supported the creation of the Philippines’ National Design Policy. Sarah Mineko Ichioka is a strategist, urbanist, curator, and writer. Sarah is Founding Director of Desire Lines, a Singapore-based consultancy for environmental, cultural, and social-impact organizations.
Local design icons and big names in business will also participate in the discussions, including luxury accessory designer and Vogue Philippines’ first Editor-in-Chief Bea Valdez, art critic and curator Marian Pastor-Roces, and Ayala Corporation consultant Guillermo Luz to name a few.
“The creative and design industry plays a crucial role in developing adaptive solutions that will help our country in addressing pressing challenges,” said Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo “Fred” Pascual.
The Trade chief added that the International Design Conference provides a platform for Filipino designers to step up and raise the level of competitiveness of Filipino-made products in the international market.
The International Design Conference coincides with the celebration of the Philippine Creative Industries Month.
“Apart from learning from the world’s best, this international conference also highlights the Philippine creative industry which is now gaining momentum. It’s high time for the local creative industry sector to be recognized and acknowledge its contribution to economic development,” Pangasinan 4th District Representative Christopher De Venecia said. The lawmaker was the author of Republic Act 11904 or the recently enacted Philippine Creative Industries Development Act (PCIDA).
For Senator Sonny Angara, the government and the creative industry sector should work hand-in-hand to provide more opportunities for Filipino creatives.
“Creative entrepreneurs should tell the government what kind of support they need. We have existing laws that can help the creative industry maximize its potential. We need to exchange ideas in order to elevate the country’s offering to the world and this event will certainly sharpen the edge of the Philippine industry’s products and services, which will make ‘Made in the Philippines’ products more globally competitive,” said Senator Angara.
The two-day international conference will cover the emerging trends in design policy and how cultural diversity, sustainability, and social responsibility will come into play. Some sessions will also tackle how design skills and assets contribute to economic growth and the future of design amid the rise of new technologies.
“We are excited to once again host the International Design Conference in the Philippines, one of the largest design conferences in the ASEAN region. Our meticulously curated lineup of speakers will provide invaluable insights on design-led renaissance that will explore transformative possibilities where design plays a more pivotal role in shaping economies and societies,” said Rhea Matute, Executive Director of Design Center of the Philippines.
To register for the grandest design conference in the country, visit here.
