UNIDO marks Word Industrial Design Day

On 29 June 2021, in celebration of World Industrial Design Day, UNIDO joined hands with World Design Organization to hold a panel discussion as part of a 24-hour virtual event “Let’s talk diversity”. The World Industrial Design Day 2021 explores diversity in all its manifestations, encouraging designers and developers to contribute to a more diverse and inclusive industry.

Taking part in this online marathon, UNIDO presented its approach to industrial design, emphasizing its role as a major driver for geographical and sectoral diversity, innovation, technology, enhanced productivity, competitiveness and market access through a series of case studies across countries and industries.

Through a series of presentations by international experts from the European Union, South and Central Asia, the UNIDO-led session shed light on how development of unique designs and innovative product lines accelerates the shift towards higher value added activities, thereby delivering benefits across all sections of production process, promoting diversity and skills development irrespective of gender and social background among manufacturers and industry professionals in developing countries and economies in transition.

Specifically, the session looked into UNIDO’s expertise and experience in providing decent livelihoods among rural communities with a focus on preserving their traditions and heritage, especially among vulnerable social groups; upgrading technical and human capacities in industrial design, which translated into improved performance of local small and medium enterprises operating in mobility, textile and home-decor industries; supporting sustainable tourist destinations through development of design- and handicrafts value chains; and elaborated on the untapped potential of practices related to innovative design development for inclusive and sustainable industrial development and social change.

Recording of the event is available here.

For further information contact Riccardo Savigliano (R.Saviligliano [at] unido.org (R).Savigliano [at] unido.org) and Farrukh Alimdjanov (F.Alimdjanov [at] unido.org (F).Alimdjanov [at] unido.org)