International summit on the influence of design begins in Shanghai
The World Design Cities Conference (WDCC) 2024 commenced on Friday in east China's Shanghai Municipality, organized by the Shanghai Municipal People's Government in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
TroibNews 
The World Design Cities Conference 2024 kicked off on Friday in Shanghai Municipality, organized by the Shanghai Municipal People's Government and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
This year's theme, "Design Reframing Growth," emphasizes the event's goal of creating a platform for global design collaboration and exchange, focusing on a design-driven approach to enhance productive development and integrate design into urban and everyday life. The conference is set to run until Monday.
During the opening ceremony, Shen Haixiong, president of China Media Group, underscored Shanghai's critical role in promoting Chinese modernization. He highlighted the city's focus on integrating design concepts into urban development and enhancing the design industry's influence while blending global perspectives with local characteristics to showcase the appeal of a modern socialist international metropolis.
Gong Zheng, the mayor of Shanghai, expressed the city's commitment to recognizing the comprehensive value and diverse functions of design. He stated that Shanghai aims to leverage its advantages to accelerate the construction of a world-class design city.
"We aim to cultivate and develop new quality productive forces, using design to empower industrial innovation, and respond to cutting-edge technologies and industrial needs by strengthening design innovation and system integration in key areas," Gong said.
He further pointed out that the city will prioritize building a people-oriented urban environment, facilitating the deep integration of design into urban renewal, public services, and cultural development, while using design as a means of fostering high-level global communication.
The opening ceremony also featured the presentation of the World Design Cities Shanghai Manifesto 2024, which invites the world to embrace future trends and promote design driven by new quality productive forces to better meet the challenges of human development. Several awards were also announced.
This marks the third consecutive year that Shanghai has hosted the conference, welcoming nearly 1,000 representatives from international design industry organizations, design schools, leading enterprises, and renowned scholars and designers from both domestic and international arenas. The event will feature around 50 activities, including forums, roundtable discussions, exhibitions, and design carnivals, all with the aim of fostering advancements in global design innovation.
Allen M Lee contributed to this report for TROIB News
This year's theme, "Design Reframing Growth," emphasizes the event's goal of creating a platform for global design collaboration and exchange, focusing on a design-driven approach to enhance productive development and integrate design into urban and everyday life. The conference is set to run until Monday.
During the opening ceremony, Shen Haixiong, president of China Media Group, underscored Shanghai's critical role in promoting Chinese modernization. He highlighted the city's focus on integrating design concepts into urban development and enhancing the design industry's influence while blending global perspectives with local characteristics to showcase the appeal of a modern socialist international metropolis.
Gong Zheng, the mayor of Shanghai, expressed the city's commitment to recognizing the comprehensive value and diverse functions of design. He stated that Shanghai aims to leverage its advantages to accelerate the construction of a world-class design city.
"We aim to cultivate and develop new quality productive forces, using design to empower industrial innovation, and respond to cutting-edge technologies and industrial needs by strengthening design innovation and system integration in key areas," Gong said.
He further pointed out that the city will prioritize building a people-oriented urban environment, facilitating the deep integration of design into urban renewal, public services, and cultural development, while using design as a means of fostering high-level global communication.
The opening ceremony also featured the presentation of the World Design Cities Shanghai Manifesto 2024, which invites the world to embrace future trends and promote design driven by new quality productive forces to better meet the challenges of human development. Several awards were also announced.
This marks the third consecutive year that Shanghai has hosted the conference, welcoming nearly 1,000 representatives from international design industry organizations, design schools, leading enterprises, and renowned scholars and designers from both domestic and international arenas. The event will feature around 50 activities, including forums, roundtable discussions, exhibitions, and design carnivals, all with the aim of fostering advancements in global design innovation.
Allen M Lee contributed to this report for TROIB News
