Montreal (Canada), 6 December 2024 – World Design Organization (WDO)® has launched its bid process to identify a host for its 35th World Design Congress™. The organization is seeking proposals from entities interested in welcoming the international design community to their city in 2027, a year that will also mark WDO’s 70th anniversary.

Held biennially, the World Design Congress brings together WDO’s leadership, members, key industry stakeholders and others from around the globe to engage, reflect and discuss key issues affecting the design profession and the world at large. The event consists of an International Design Conference and a Research and Education Forum and concludes with the organization’s members’ only general assembly. It has been hosted in a variety of design-led cities and is often developed in conjunction with a local design event.

In close collaboration with WDO, the host will have the opportunity to elevate existing or newly developed activities that reflect their commitment to design-led transformation and speak to the accomplishments of the region’s local design community. Most recently, host cities have included Tokyo (Japan), Hyderabad (India), Torino (Italy), Montreal (Canada) and Copenhagen (Denmark). The upcoming event will return to London (UK) for the first time in 50 years from 9-11 September 2025 under the theme Design for Planet.

“Since its inception in 1959, the World Design Congress has served as a vital platform to unite global design leaders, to exchange ideas and to explore how design can tackle the challenges of our time,” stated WDO Managing Director Bertrand Derome. “As we look to 2027 and prepare to mark seven decades of design-driven impact, the next World Design Congress is expected to continue to serve as an exciting showcase demonstrating the importance of the creative industries to shape a better future through design.”

Interested parties are invited to download the submission guide and submit their bid before the deadline on 30 April 2025.

For more information, please contact:

Natalie Dutil
WDO Communications Manager
communications@wdo.org

About World Design Organization

World Design Organization (WDO)® is an international non-governmental organization and the international voice for industrial design. We advocate for Design for a Better World, promoting and sharing knowledge of industrial design-driven innovation that enhances the economic, social, cultural, and environmental quality of life. Today, WDO services over 215 member organizations, representing thousands of industrial designers around the world. WDO.org