From Design Wales and the SEE Project
October 20th, 2010
e-petition for design innovation in Wales
Design Wales (UK) have launched an online petition calling for the regional elected government to consider the “potential significant role for design in future innovation, public service and social enterprise policies and programmes”.
The action is intended help raise awareness about design among individual Assembly Members prior to elections next year and will hopefully encourage them to consider steps such as forming a cross-party group for design to ensure it maintains a political profile in the future.
The e-petition has been opened only days after the launch of the Design Wales manifesto entitled ‘Design for Innovation in Wales: Industry, Services and Society’ in Cardiff Bay that was endorsed by key design organisations including BEDA, Design Council and Creative & Cultural Skills as well as a number of Welsh cultural organizations and Universities.
The e-petition will remain open for electronic signature until 12 November 2010, responses to which will be counted from individuals wherever they might be based. Friends of CATALYST SDR and Design Wales are invited to sign the e-petition, don’t forget to add your State and country in ‘area of residence’. To find out more and sign up visit: www.designwales.org/pages/petition.htm.
Gavin Cawood, Operations Director for Design Wales said “From our experience of working with European design organisations and regional government officials over the past 7 years we have realised that nothing changes without the right political will. Our manifesto and petition have been timed to prime Welsh politicians and civil servants in the face of the inclusion of design in the latest innovation policy documents from the European Commission: Europe 2020 Flagship Initiative-Innovation Union”.
Since 2008 Design Wales is leading the European funded SEE project – Sharing Experience Europe: Policy, Innovation & Design who have made this e-petition and manifesto possible.
Additional information
The Design for Innovation in Wales Manifesto is an output of the SEE project (www.seeproject.org), co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the INTERREG IVC programme. Design Wales are leading this network of 11 design organisations working to integrate design into public policy at regional, national and European levels.
Design Wales is based within the Centre for Product Design and Development Research (PDR) at University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC). Since 1994 we have been promoting the strategic role of design for economic and social development in Wales. This objective is achieved through delivering support services directly to business, raising awareness of design at policy level, and conducting research to understand design’s contribution for economic development.
