DFC International Leadership Summit

Our Collective Responsible Response to Crises

Madrid, Spain | September 27-29, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm

The world has, and continues to, encounter crises at a level previously unexperienced by most of its population. Concurrent crises ranging from climate to political to social to security to health to sustenance and more seem to be hitting us on multiple fronts. Our responses have often been chaotic, disorganized, fruitless, and damaging.

The Design Futures Council gathered thinkers and doers, educators and practitioners together in Madrid to ask hard questions of ourselves:

• What is the role of the greater design community in concurrent crises?
• What common knowledge and know-how ought be freely shared across any and all borders to collectively bring solutions that are sustainable and positively fruitful?
• What is the role of education and practice in this?
• How does the design discipline reposition from trailing and reactive to leading and initiating?

Join us in Madrid September 27-28 for this meaningful gathering. We will enjoy one another’s company, elevate knowledge to understanding, and come away with answers. This is a time for thinking, speaking, and actioning in collaboration for effective outcomes. We believe resident in this gathering are authentic solutions for the challenges before us.

The event schedule includes sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at ie University, School of Architecture & Design in Madrid, a participant reception and ending with an optional day trip to Segovia from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Thursday. Transportation via private bus to/from Segovia will be provided for a guided tour of the city and a group lunch.