“Our city will be the centre of design, creativity and innovation for the globe”, announced Cape Town Executive Mayor, Alderman Patricia de Lille.
Cape Town Mayor, Alderman Patricia de Lille
For me, the central thesis of the City of Cape Town’s approach to the World Design Capital 2014 is: Excellence in design is using what you have to realise what you want.
It is designing the change we want to see in our city using the very building blocks of which our city is comprised.
It is these realities that help us focus on the outcomes we want to see for 2014.
Using these principles, and the realisation that design is based on organic networks of change that transform the city and not centralised plans, I believe we can transform Cape Town.
In 2014, we will celebrate 20 years of freedom and 20 years of democracy.
Let us use this opportunity to work to put aside the old design principles of apartheid that sought to divide us and create a new city – one that embraces design and is open and accessible to all.
Let us show that Cape Town will take the lead in building the New South Africa that former president Nelson Mandela dreamed of.
And let us show that we are a people united in our diversity and a global centre for creative and innovative thinking.
In conclusion, I would like to thank everyone who worked so hard to make Cape Town the World Design Capital of 2014 and I thank Icsid for choosing Cape Town as the World Design Capital for 2014.
On behalf of all Cape Town, let me say that we will truly show the application of humanity and the principle of Live Design: Transform Life, as the guiding force of design to create better lives in the 20th anniversary year of our democracy.
Extract from the speech by Executive Mayor of Cape Town, Alderman Patricia de Lille.
Watch a clip of the launch on YouTube
