Intl. Design Festival connects Shenzhen with French city

The opening ceremony of the China (Shenzhen) International Industrial Design Festival yesterday in Bao'an District.  Photos by courtesy of the organizer

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The 11th China (Shenzhen) International Industrial Design Festival kicked off at Bao’an Children’s Palace yesterday, attracting nearly 500 people from the design community, the Bao’an government, and the commerce and media sectors.

“My first visit to Shenzhen was in 2010 when I came to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network 2010 Shenzhen International Conference, just after the designation of Saint-Etienne as a UNESCO City of Design. Shenzhen was already designated as a City of Design in 2008. At that time, I was really amazed by the city. I have had two more chances to come and have seen the wonderful transformation of the city over the past 10 years,” said Josyane Franc, head of International Affairs for the Cité du Design Saint-Etienne.

Josyane Franc

According to Franc, the festival connects Shenzhen with Saint-Etienne, both of which are Cities of Design, building a platform for communication and exchange for the design and creation field. “I believe this is a good opportunity for cooperation,” said Franc.

“Bao’an has been continuously improving its business environment in recent years. There are over 50 enterprises in Bao’an whose products have won internationally renowned industrial design awards, such as the Red Dot Award and iF Design Award,” said Huang Shenghua, head of the publicity department of Bao’an.

Themed “Design Integration, Co-create the Future,” this year’s festival, part of Shenzhen Creative December, introduces Saint-Etienne of France as its partner city to co-host 10 main activities, including the Projects Road Show of Bao’an Cup Innovation Design Competition, “People Oriented” Industrial Design Summit Forum, Youth Creative Workshops and Exploring Saint-Etienne Design Exhibition.

The annual festival aims to give play to the key role of industrial design as an innovation driving force, and connect design with traditional industries like commerce, manufacturing and services to inject new vitality.

A workshop at the industrial design festival.

At the opening ceremony, Philippe Moine, vice president of Designers Plus Association of Saint-Etienne, and Feng Changhong, executive vice president and secretary-general of Shenzhen Industrial Design Profession Association, signed the Shenzhen & Saint-Etienne Design Strategic Cooperation MOU.

The festival is hosted by Chinese Mechanical Engineering Society Industrial Design Institution, National Industrial Design Industry Innovation Alliance and Bao’an District Government, organized by Bureau of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Bao’an District and Shenzhen Industrial Design Profession Association, and supported by Designers Plus Association of Saint-Etienne.