The countdown begins

In just a few days, Cape Town will know if we have clinched the title of World Design Capital 2014, against Dublin and Bilbao. The announcement of the winning city will take place in Taipei on 26 October.

Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille and a high-level delegation will be flying out to Taipei for the official announcement on the final day of the International Design Alliance (IDA) Congress.

World Design Capital, a title currently held by Seoul, is a bi-annual award that recognises cities that use design for social, economic and cultural transformation. Cape Town’s bid explores ways in which design has been used to heal the negative legacies of the past and reconnect the city’s people and spaces.

“Cape Town is committed to become an even greater city,” says de Lille. “While we still face many challenges from our past, we are constantly exploring new and innovative ways to move our city forward and create a city of opportunity where everyone is included.”

“The bid process has given people the chance to see how excellence in design can help change our lives and just how vital that excellence is to a city moving forward confidently into the future,” she says.

And no matter the outcome, de Lille says that Cape Town should remember that we do showcase world-class design, and that this is where the city’s excellence really lies.

If successful, Cape Town will run a year-long programme of design-focused events, which will see creative communities from around the word visiting and networking with the city for social, economic and cultural solutions.

Already the bid has solidified partnerships between the public, the private sector and academia, says Bulelwa Makalima-Ngewana, managing director of the Cape Town Partnership.

Fingers crossed, because in just a week and a half we will know whether the Mother City has made it. Fly your yellow flag and live the motto “Live Design. Transform Life” in the run up to this exciting announcement.

More information: www.capetown2014.co.za