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press release: montreal design declaration

09.11.2017 News

PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release
09 November 2017

Montreal Design Declaration 2017

Montreal (Canada)—On 24 October 2017, representatives of the international community of designers, architects, planners and landscape architects signed the Montreal Design Declaration Design Summit Meeting. The Declaration proclaims the potential of design to achieve global economic, social, environmental and cultural objectives and includes a dramatic call to action to professionals, educators and governments as well as a list of proposed projects. The Design Summit Meeting was conducted within the framework of the “World Design Summit,” an event that included a multidisciplinary Congress and Exhibition. The signing ceremony was conducted on 24 October 2017 at the Palais des Congrès in Montréal, and signed in the presence of three UN agencies (UNESCO, UN-Habitat, UN Environment) by the fourteen international organisations and partners who collaborated to draft the document and four additional design organisations. The Montréal Design Declaration lists in an Annex more than 600 national professional associations, universities and design promotion entities, from 89 countries, that are represented by these international organisations.

The Montreal Design Declaration is a milestone marking the launch of a global collaborative effort to utilise the potential of design for the benefit of all, and concludes: "All people deserve to live in a well-designed world."

“UNESCO believes that Culture and Creativity furthers the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the New Urban Agenda.”

—Jyoti Hosagrahar, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Director, Division for Creativity

“The Declaration reflects two grand achievements. For the first time, the design community, across many disciplines, is speaking with one voice. This consolidation permits the second achievement - the international agencies are eager to collaborate with a united design world. These achievements impact every designer.”

—David Grossman, International Council of Design (ico-D), President 2015-2017

A process of international collaboration

Preparations for the Design Summit Meeting and the Declaration began in 2010 and entered high gear with the establishment of a Steering Committee consisting of representatives of the World Design Summit Organization, International Council of Design (ico-D), International Federation of Housing and Planning (IFHP) and International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA). Two Pre-Summit Meetings were held in Paris in 2017 and four Working Committees were established: Social, Cultural, Environmental and Economic, to collaboratively draft the Declaration and identify potential projects.

Declaring design as invaluable to our future

The Montreal Design Declaration defines the Value of Design through eight bold propositions:

Design is a driver of innovation and competition, growth and development, efficiency and prosperity.

Design is an agent for sustainable solutions.

Design expresses culture.

Design adds value to technology.

Design facilitates change.

Design introduces intelligence to cities.

Design addresses resiliency and manages risk.

Design fosters development.

The Declaration is a Call to Action. On one hand, it is a call to governements, educators, civil and private sectors to engage with design, utilize and recognize it through Design Advocacy, Development of Design Metrics, Development of Design Policies, Development of Design Standards, Enhancement of Design Education. It is also a call to designers themselves to step into a leadership role, reconceiving themselves as “ambassadors” of end-users, calling for more Responsive, Responsible and Vigilant Design, and Recognition of Design in the face of global challenges.

“Whatever happens, we did it, we have signed this declaration, and have committed ourselves to keep on this track. Good will has to become action.”

—Albert Dubler, International Union of Architects (UIA), Past President

As part of the intent to go forward, the Declaration outlines a list of 20 proposed Projects. These include a range of collaborative projects to: develop metrics to measure design impact; develop a common and inclusive language to communicate the value of design; launch projects to help raise living standards, healthcare, transit; make design available to low-income populations; and to create mechanisms for ongoing, improved dialogue and collaboration with governments so that these intentions become reality. Projects also proposed creating models of design education for youth and to promote lifelong learning; to showcase how design improves sustainability and resiliency, to creates resources, tools and standards of accreditation to support designer communities, and finally, to carry out projects that will generate statements of support for the Declaration itself, so that its message and agenda spread far and wide.

During the Summit Design Meeting the participants engaged in a lively discussion centering on the need to develop new approaches to growth and development that focus on sustainability and social equality.

“The Montreal Design Declaration is here! “All people deserve to live in a well-designed world.”

Design is, in fact, often about co-design. And this has been the process applied for shaping the Declaration itself. A series of co-designing, face-to-face sessions, including online working groups, allowed many international organisations to collaborate in a unique way and to have this world premiere gathering. In a context that is becoming more complex, volatile and uncertain, we all aligned to have this Declaration ready in order to think about and act on the future in a designerly way. Design and co-design will allow us to transform the planet we live on, and the Montreal Design Declaration is a tangible sign of this movement. Join, share, spread and let’s design.”

—Alok Nandi, Interaction Design Association (IxDA), Vice President

“An important step towards global cooperation, teaming up to impact on societal challenges. The design sector still clearly has to learn each others’ languages—architects and service designers have much in common but use a different vocabulary.”

—Bart Ahsmann, The Bureau of European Design Associations (BEDA), President

The Declaration positions design as a tool to solve social, cultural, environmental and economic issues. The signatories have immense hope for the future to work with governments and the business sector to make the world better.

The signing ceremony for the Montréal Design Declaration was conducted on 24 October 2017 at the Palais des Congrès in Montréal.

Montréal Design Declaration Signatories

DESIGN SUMMIT MEETING STEERING COMMITTEE

Mr. Alain Dufour
Secretary General, Design Summit Meeting
Chair of the Summit Meeting Steering Committee

Mr. David Grossman
President, International Council of Design

Mr. Flemming Borreskov
President, International Federation for Housing and Planning

Ms. Regitze Marianne Hess
Special Advisor, International Federation for Housing and Planning

Ms. Kathryn Moore
President, International Federation of Landscape Architects

Ms. Marie-Claude Parenteau-Leboeuf
Chair of the Board of Directors, World Design Summit Organisation

INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION SIGNATORIES

Architecture Sans Frontières International
Mr. Xavier Codina

The Bureau of European Design Associations
Mr. Bart Ahsmann

Commonwealth Association of Planners
Ms. Kristin Agnello

Confédération Française pour l’Habitat, l’Urbanisme, l’Aménagement du Territoire
Mr. Thierry Lafont

Cumulus International Association of Universities and Colleges in Art, Design and Media
Ms. Elsebeth Gerner-Nielsen

Design Research Society
Mr. Peter Lloyd

Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability Network
Ms. Carla Cipolla

Global Planners Network
Ms. Eleanor Mohammed

INDEX: Design to Improve Life
Mr. Mariano Alesandro

Interaction Design Association
Mr. Alok Nandi

Service Design Network
Mr. Jesse Grimes

International Union of Architects
Mr. Albert Dubler for Mr. Thomas Vonier

World Green Building Council
Mr. Jonathan Laski

World Urban Campaign
Mr. Jeffrey Soule

World Urban Parks
Ms. Sandra V. Murillo-Morales

IN THE PRESENCE OF:

Ms. Jyoti Hosagrahar
Director, Division of Creativity, Culture Section UNESCO

Mr. Wataru Kawasaki
Program and Planning Officer, UN-Habitat

Ms. Martina Otto
Head of Cities Unit, UN Environment

Ms. Nancy Pollock-Ellwand
IFLA-ICOMOS ISCCL Vice-President North America, ICOMOS

DESIGN SUMMIT MEETING OFFICIAL PARTICIPANTS

Architecture Sans Frontières International (ASF-Int)
Mr. Xavier Codina
Mr. Bruno Demers

Bureau of European Design Associations (BEDA)
Mr. Bart Ahsmann
Ms. Isabelle Vérilhac

Confédération Française pour l’Habitat, l’Urbanisme, l’Aménagement du Territoire (COFHUAT)
Mr. Thierry Lafont

Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP)
Ms. Kristin Agnello

International Association of Universities and Colleges in Art, Design and Media (Cumulus)
Ms. Eĳa Salmi
Ms. Elsebeth Gerner-Nielsen

Design Research Society (DRS)
Mr. Peter Lloyd

Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability Network (DESIS)
Ms. Carla Cipolla

Global Planners Network (GPN)
Ms. Eleanor Mohammed
Ms. Nathalie Prud’Homme

International Council of Design (ico-D)
Mr. David Grossman
Mr. Zachary Ong
Ms. Ana Masut

International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS-IFLA ISCCL)
Ms. Nancy Pollock-Ellwand

International Federation for Housing and Planning (IFHP)
Mr. Flemming Borreskov
Ms. Regitze Marianne Hess

International Federation for Landscape Architects (IFLA)
Ms. Kathryn Moore
Ms. Raquel Peñalosa

Index: Design to Improve Life (INDEX:)
Mr. Mariano Alesandro

Interaction Design Association (IxDA)
Mr. Alok Nandi
Ms. Brenda Sanderson

Service Design Network (SDN)
Mr. Jesse Grimes
Mr. Chris Ferguson

International Union of Architects (UIA)
Mr. Albert Dubler

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
Ms. Jyoti Hosagrahar

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Ms. Martina Otto

United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat)
Mr. Wataru Kawasaki

World Green Building Council (WorldGBC)
Mr. Jonathan Laski

World Urban Campaign (WUC)
Mr. Jeffrey Soule

World Urban Parks (WUP)
Ms. Sandra Murillo-Morales

INVITED OBSERVERS

International Association of Societies of Design Research (IASDR) - Ms. Tiiu Poldma
NewCities Foundation (NewCities) - Ms. Stéphanie Grandperret, Mr. Adam Cutts
Rebuild By design (RBD) - Mr. Nans Voron
User Experience Professionals Association (UxPA) - Mr. Alain Robillard-Bastien
World Design Organization (WDO) - Ms. Dilki de Silva, Ms. Andrea Springer
Women In Cities International (WICI) - Ms. Kathryn Travers, Ms. Cathy Hillman

OFFICIAL OBSERVERS

Associated research Centers for the Urban Underground Space (ACUUS) - Mr. Dimitris Kaliampakos, Mr.Jacques Besner
Future Earth - Ms. Amy Luers, Ms. M’Lisa Colbert, Mr. David Oram
Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) - Ms. Tamara Richards
Finance Alliance for Sustainable Trade (FAST) - Ms. Hitzel Trejo

ACCREDITED OBSERVERS

Association des architectes paysagistes du Québec (AAPQ) - Mr. Jonathan Cha, Mr. Jean Leandry, Mr. Pierre Bouchard
Association of Canadian Industrial Designers (ACID) - Ms. Caroline Gagnon
Association des designers industriels du Québec (ADIQ) - Mr. Bertrand Derome
Alliance française des designers - Mr. François Caspar
Association professionnelle des designers d'intérieur du Québec (APDIQ) - Mr. Denis Chouinard, Ms. Natacha Do
American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) - Ms. Susuan Wiggins
Beirut Design Week - Ms. Doreen Toutikian
C2 Montréal - Ms. Jeanne Dorelli, Ms. Martine Rhéaume
Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ) - Ms. Kari Frontera
Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA) - Mr. Vincent Asselin, Ms. Paula Meijerink
d.talks - Ms. Amery Calvelli
Design Week Mexico
Design Institute of Australia (DIA) - Mr. Peter Florentzos, Mr. Bradley Schott
Graphic Designers of Canada (GDC) - Ms. Melanie Mc Donald, Mr. Johnathon Strebly
Graz - UNESCO City of Design - Ms. Astrid Bader, Mr. Eberhard Schrempf
Indonesia Economic Industry Committee - Ms. Zinnia Nizar
Middle East Design Education Association - Mr. Essam Abu-Awad
Montreal International - Ms. Lynda Cadieux, Mr. Arnaud Dion, Ms. Maï Murray, Mr. Stephane Paquet
Mexican Museum of Design (MUMEDI) - Mr. Alvaro Rego
Nagoya - UNESCO City of Design - Mr. Tsuyoshi Ueda
Ordre des architectes du Québec (OAQ) - Ms. Nathalie Dion, Mr. Jean-Pierre Dumont
Philadelphia Center of Architecture and Design - Ms. Sharon Leshner, Mr. Chris Lowen
Puebla - UNESCO City of Design - Mr. Luis Gonzalez Arenal
Saint Etienne - UNESCO City of Design - Ms. Isabelle Verilhac
UN Global Compact - Mr. Sebastien Caballero
University of South Africa (UNISA) - Mr. Hennie Stoffberg
University of Waterloo - Ms. Anne Bordeleau, Ms. Maya Przybylski
Ville de Montreal - UNESCO City of Design - Ms. Véronique Ducet, Ms. Manon Gauthier, Ms. Stéphanie Jecrois, Ms. Marie José Lacroix, Mr. Benoit Turgeon