Helsinki meets Cape Town, World Design Capital handover events

The series of events, taking place 7-10 November 2012, will create a temporary platform for building long-term institutional collaboration in the fields of science, business, technology and design. The event provides an opportunity for matching Finnish and South African companies and expertise to develop new business opportunities. Sharing experiences from Helsinki will support Cape Town's own planning processes for its WDC year.

Opportunities

The events will connect:

• Cities for promoting design-led planning, growth and development
  
• Companies for exploring market opportunities, trade and investment
  
• Social enterprises for exploring social innovation opportunities, community vitality and sustainability
  
• Designers for creating solutions, promoting development and improving citizens' quality of life
  
• Universities for collaboration in emerging practices in design education and research

Provide space for:

• Sharing experiences from Helsinki WDC 2012
  
• Showcasing and connecting Finnish design-know-how with South African partners
  
• Promoting innovation partnerships and trade, investment and social innovation opportunities
  
• Promoting the use of design for development and tackling social problems

Programme themes include:

• Cities as design drivers and utilisers - role of cities in driving design and utilising design in city-planning and public services, meaning of the WDC designation for this agenda
  
• Design for urban transformation - creating and applying design know-how and methodologies for sustainable urban growth and development
  
• Design-oriented start-ups - connecting and internationalising Finnish and South African start-ups in mobile and ICT sectors

For more, go to www.helsinkimeetscapetown.com, the Facebook page, and download the programme.