Visit of the evaluation committee of the World Design Organization
On July 29 and 30, the WDO evaluation committee visited Valencia, a finalist along with Bangalore (India) to become the next World Design Capital 2022.
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During two days of enormous activity, the members of the Committee of Experts of the World Design Organization (WDO) have visited the city of Valencia, to evaluate your candidacy to become World Design Capital 2022. The report prepared by the representatives of the W.D.O. will be decisive for Valencia manage to win the title. The final decision will be made public next October.
With the aim that the Committee could learn first-hand about Valencia's connection with the world of design in all its facets, the team responsible for the candidacy prepared an intensive program of visits and meetings that took place on Monday the 29th and Tuesday the 30th. of July. Thus, the W.D.O. He has learned about the tradition, history and architecture of the city, as well as the importance of innovation and design in the business ecosystem.
On behalf of the companies promoting Valencia's candidacy for World Design Capital, highlight the fundamental role of Valencian companies in the furniture sector such as POINT, CAPDELL, ANDREU WORLD, ACTIU, GANDIA BLASCO, TREBOL MOBILIARIO y VONDOM, great promoters of the project since its beginnings.
The three members of the committee W.D.O. who have visited Valencia for this technical inspection are the general secretary of the WDO, Bertrand Derome, by training as a designer, currently a prestigious expert lecturer on design topics and their social, environmental and economic impact. Andrea Springer, director of Programs and Communication. With more than 20 years of experience in the world of Public Relations and corporate communication, he currently plays an important role in the development of the organization's main programs and projects. AND Brandon Gien, representing the organizing committee of the WDC candidacy for the WDO. He is the founder of Good Design Australia and president of the annual awards Australian Good Design Awards.
During the first day of the Committee in Valencia, they were received at the City Hall by the Mayor Joan Ribo, to then take a guided tour accompanied by those responsible for the organization Valencia Capital of Design Association, visiting emblematic places of the city such as the Muvim, the Silk Museum, the Ivam, the Lonja, the City of Arts and Sciences...etc. The day ended with a boat ride through the Albufera.
Highlight the fundamental role of Valencian companies in the furniture sector, promoters from the beginning of Valencia's candidacy for World Design Capital, which have firmly defended the project, demonstrating that a traditional sector such as furniture, is committed to innovation and design as key pieces for its growth and internationalization
On Tuesday, July 30, the second day of the visit, it began with a meeting with the President of the Generalitat Valenciana, Ximo Puig, to continue with a visit to the exhibition “30 years of industrial design at the UPV” in the BANCAJA Foundation.
After visiting the Colón Market, with a meal offered by the prestigious chef Ricard Camarena, the delegation visited the Bombas Gens Art Center with the help of Ramón Esteve, before moving to the Marina de Empresas, one of the largest entrepreneurship hubs in the Mediterranean, made up of EDEM (training), Lanzadera (incubation and acceleration) and Angels (investment). A meeting was held in the Navy in which the organizations and entities promoting the candidacy, representatives of ICEX, IVACE, Chamber of Commerce, ANIEME and EDEM, among others.
After the visit of the WDO evaluation committee to Valencia, it will be next October when the winning city of the competition will be announced. World Design Capital 2022.
The President of ANIEME, Juan Carlos Muñoz, has stated that “The influence of globalization on the competitiveness of traditional manufacturing industries, such as furniture, is evident and affects all productive sectors.
In this sense, highlight the importance of the furniture cluster of the Valencian Community, the one with the longest history in our country, which has centuries-old manufacturers who perfectly combine tradition and craftsmanship in the production of furniture with the most advanced and innovative techniques to create pieces with a unique style and a personal seal, where design is the key.
We consider for all this that Valencia deserves recognition as World Design Capital, for its history and tradition, as well as for the creativity, modernity and innovation that characterize our sector.”