Welcome

Message from the host

Greetings to all of you! Welcome to Design Indaba 2009. We could not have imagined back in 1994, when we first mooted the concept with a few design colleagues, that this would be taken up with such alacrity. In fact, it is very counter-intuitive to some people that this popular movement is happening, with some success, in Africa.

This year’s event occurs during a somewhat fraught period. With the global economic slowdown, the default option for many is to batten down the hatches and wait for the storm to pass. But that would mean missing a huge opportunity, because now is the time to reinvigorate the debate on how to make things better. This is no mere recession. Instead, one gets the feeling that we are standing at the threshold of a systemic change: a structural transformation that could bring greater accountability and conscience to business and governance.

At Design Indaba we’ve redoubled our efforts, digging even deeper to spark fresh thinking and rekindle optimism, even against this backdrop. After all, there’s never been a bad time for a good idea.

And so, we welcome the reformers, dreamers, idealists and activists who constitute the gorgeous cast of thought leaders that will present Design Indaba 2009. I am sure they will inspire us all to make a difference; to create a better world through creativity.

This is only possible through the invaluable support of our sponsors and suppliers, to whom we owe a debt of gratitude. And to you – for having the intellectual curiosity, for getting off the treadmill for three days, and for sharing in a unique community of creative practitioners, business leaders, academics and policymakers from around the world.

Ravi Naidoo