CITEM brings in international design and style gurus for Design Week Philippines

Sept. 24, 2012 - PRLog -- The country’s export marketing authority is exerting all efforts to turn the Philippines into “Asia’s Design Destination” in the eyes of the world. The Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) brings in international design and style luminaries David Monn and Calvin Tsao in celebration of Design Week Philippines (DWP) in October.

CITEM, as the main proponent of DWP, announced that Monn and Tsao will headline the Manila FAME Design Talks under the International Design Talks and Fora, a knowledge sharing platform on the importance of design in driving innovation for economic and social success. The Design Talks and Fora is a component of Design Week Philippines along with the Manila FAME trade show, Creative Environment, Museum and Art Tours, Katha Awards, and Food and Art Festivals.

“Design and creativity are recognized as drivers for social innovation and economic advancement. We want to foster design education by bringing in experts like David Monn and Calvin Tsao, who can greatly inspire Filipinos to be adept with current trends and urge them to be globally competitive,” said Rosvi Gaetos, Executive Director of CITEM.

Designer David Monn is the founder of his own full-service event and design firm that handles projects around the globe and transforms environments into experiences.

Monn’s achievements include the White House State Dinner with Mexican President Felipe Calderon, the New York Public Library Lions Dinner, the Fontainebleau Miami’s Grand Re-Opening, the 100th Anniversary celebration of the Plaza Hotel, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala, and the grand opening of the $1.7-billion Time-Warner Center, among others.

On the other, Tsao who is president emeritus of The Architectural League of New York, has served as vice president for design excellence at the AIA New York Chapter, and is a member of the Visiting Committee to Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design.

Tsao was inducted into the Interior Design Hall of Fame in 2001, and received the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award for Interior Design in 2009. He has taught at the Harvard Graduate School of Design and at the Parsons School of Design, and has served as guest critic and design juror at universities and institutes in the US.

Aside from Manila FAME Design Talks, the Philippine-Korea Design Sharing Seminar “Design for Sustainability” will also be held to help SMEs be more competitive and export-ready. This design-sharing event is organized by CITEM, in partnership with the Korea Institute of Design Promotion (KIDP).

Gaetos mentioned that Korean design professionals would also be flying in to share their expertise with Filipinos. “The design-sharing seminar is a knowledge source for SMEs who want to penetrate the world market. It will give them information on current design strategies while increasing their awareness and appreciation of design as a catalyst for economic growth,” said Gaetos.

The Manila FAME Design Talks will be held on 18 October 2012, while the Philippine-Korea Design Sharing Seminar is scheduled on 19-20 October 2012. Both events will be held at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City, free to the public with limited seating. Email dwpsecretariat@gmail.com for more information.