Green mountains and lucid waters are distinct everywhere. Wandering in the quiet and leisurely Eco-Design Town is like being in Shangri-la.

With the support of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People's Republic of China, the People's Government of Guangdong Province, and the China Light Industry Federation, the World Eco-Design Conference (WEDC) is the world’s ecological design industry development conference which was founded by design organizations, institutions, enterprises, and institutions from more than 30 countries and regions. 

From the joint initiation of the World Eco-Design Industry Development Conghua Initiative with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China and others, to establishment of relations with Cambodia, Bangladesh, Thailand and other countries in the name of Guest Countries of Honour of WEDC2019, and then being granted special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN-ECOSOC).

WEDC will speak up for Guangzhou to take initiatives to engage in international affairs, and further explore international cooperation in order to continue speaking up for China and world eco-design.

Practice the idea of ecological civilization and create a Great Beauty of Circle surrounding the permanent site of World Eco-Design Conference.

“We call for the respect and promotion of diversified human ecology through design. Human ecology is the home of civilization, inspiring us to be driven by our dreams, live up to the time. We call for the promotion of a healthy industrial ecology by the power of design. Industrial ecology is the pillar of all activities, motivating us to keep improving ourselves and making progress. We call for the construction of environmental ecology to achieve sustainable development by design. Environmental ecology is the footstone of sustainable development for humankind, inspiring us to earn respect and open up opportunities.” Ying Fangtian, the President of the World Eco-Design Conference said that as an important international non-governmental organization (NGO) specializing in design with the United Nations recognition, we will be devoted to promoting cooperation and ecological civilization.

Looking back on the development history of the World Ecol-Design Conference, it’s not difficult to find that the World Eco-Design Conference is releasing unlimited potential with ecological power.

 In April, 2016, China and Switzerland jointly made a joint statement on establishing an innovation strategic partnership between China and Switzerland, the innovation cooperation was taken as an important part of Sino-Swiss cooperation. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of Sino-Swiss Low Carbon Cities Project between the People's Government of Guangzhou and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation was jointly signed by the 2 parties.

In December 2018, the World Eco-Design Conference came into being to actively implement the MoU of Sino-Swiss Low Carbon Cities Project between the People's Government of Guangzhou and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China, People’s Government of Guangdong Province ect., jointly initiated the World Eco-Design Industry Development Conghua Initiative, which proposes the establishment of an open and cooperative tie among the global design industry based on mutual trust, inclusiveness and win-win situation, and play the power of design feature with creativity, morality, emotion and aesthetics. With a shared vision for enhancing industrial vitality and ecological value, and prospering and protecting the earth, the Conference will make contributions to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

From the first conference theme, “Ecology of Design·Field of Hope”, to the second, “Innovation·Customization” and then the third, “Design and Cooperation·Striving for our Homeland”, the World Eco-Design Conference is upgrading and improving continuously to be the benchmark of the world’s eco-design.

Conform to the development trend of the times and create a first-class innovation ecology

84 enterprises have settled in, the value of eco-design has become increasingly prominent.

The construction of the permanent site of the World Eco-Design Conference begun on September 14, 2018 and the first phase of the construction came into being in 89 days. During the construction process, a large number of low-carbon and environmental protection technologies have been applied, without additional construction land throughout, the former abandoned farmers' market has been transformed into the high-end conference center, a green and innovative Eco-Design Town has been risen therewith.

Since 2018, the first and second phases of the town construction have being steadily carried forward. A number of constructions have been completed in succession and put into use, including Guangdong Research Institute of Eco-Industrial Design, the world’s first design themed hotel, the first Designers’ Village in China, and ecological management of the Yadong River etc., which have become fruitful achievements in promoting the revitalizations of industries, talents and culture.

In 2021, relying on the World Eco-Design Conference, Guangdong Research Institute of Eco-Industrial Design, has been recognized as National Eco-Industrial Design Institute (EIDI), which is so far the first national leveled institute specializing in industrial design in Guangdong Province, several research achievements and projects have been incubated and put into operation.

So far, there are 84 low carbon industrial design enterprises have been attracted and settled in the Town from all over the world. With the goals of building a Global Industrial Design Sourcing Center and China's Capital of Eco-design, the Town continues to introduce more high-quality design enterprises and innovative talents.

Further explore international cooperation and expand the radiant eco-design zone

In 2018 and 2019, there were UNIDO Eco-Design Leading Talent Training Program (EDLTTP) co-organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the World Eco-Design Conference (WEDC). Instructors are appointed officials of UNIDO, researchers, entrepreneurs etc. The objectives of EDLTTP are to cultivate senior officials of governments, enterprises, UN agencies with emerging design ideology, to gain insight of the connections of design, environment, economy, and sustainable development, so that the trainees disseminate and apply the knowledge in their positions, make the benefits exponential & sustainable in their countries. The Program is sized at 50 trainees who are officials of UN agencies, government officials, researchers etc. in relevant industries.

In 2019, WEDC co-hosted Women's Design and Innovative Development Forum with UN Women. At the forum, female elites from governments, and enterprises, including female, entrepreneurs shared their own successful cases and discussed how to play the power of women in the field of design innovation.

During the pandemic of COVID-19 in 2020, WEDC partnered with the United Nations Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries (UNTBLDC) to jointly donate 100,000 surgical face masks to the Kingdom of Lesotho, which are used to protect front-line workers in the Kingdom of Lesotho in an effort to urgently protect key workers, such as medics, police and border control staff from COVID-19.

In 2021, the United Nations Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries (UNTBLDC), the World Eco-Design Conference and the Zhejiang University, Ningbo jointly initiated the International Design Education (IDE) Program to enhance the design education capacity of the least developed countries (LDCs). The IDE Program offers 50 scholarships each year to students who are bachelor or master degree holders of the world’s 46 LDCs, to study industrial design engineering in postgraduate level. The Program is also an incubator for bridging innovation and entrepreneurship by transforming exceptional projects and research into start-ups and supporting them to innovate and grow by providing business support resources and services, resulting in closer access to manufacturing and business.

WEDC takes initiatives to engage in international affairs, and speaks up for world’s eco-design

In June, 2020, the World Eco-Design Conference applied for Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and received a formal notification from the ECOSOC, confirming that WEDC is granted Special Consultative Status with the ECOSOC in December, 2021,which has achieved the zero breakthrough of first social organization with consultative status for Guangzhou.

The consultative status is the core of a formal relationship between the UN and social organizations, which is also a key approach for social organizations to take initiatives to engage in activities of the UN and international communities. The ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31 specifies the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Consultative Status are entitled to:

· Attend international conferences and events;
· Make written and oral statements at these events;
· Organize side events;
· Enter United Nations premises; and
· Have opportunities to network and lobby.

The “Special Consultative Status” granted by the UN-ECOSOC, is a significant symbol of worldwide recognition for an NGO. It signifies that WEDC is entitled to provide industrial reports and data to the UN, effectively engage in ecological issues of the globe, and facilitate the exchange and mutual learning in the field of eco-design.  

Since being granted in special consultative status with the ECOSOC, WEDC has been invited to participate in 35 United Nations conferences with relevant topics, such as the 66th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66), Commission on Science and Technology for Development, 25th Session, the 9th Ministerial Conference of the Least Developed Countries, Bridge for Cities 2021 of the UNIDO, 2022 ECOSOC Youth Forum, 2022 ECOSOC Partnership Forum, the 7th Annual Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs, the 11th Interactive Dialogue of the General Assembly on Harmony with Nature ect., covering 17 fields including gender equality, youth development, educational innovation, partnership, digital technology, building back better from COVID-19, and green economy etc.

Mr. Ying Fangtian, the President of the World Eco-Design Conference, was invited to deliver a speech at UN-SWAP 2.0 Annual Conference 2021 of UN Women, came out with the concept of “Digital Design·Women's Empowerment”, and clarified how digital ecology empowers women to develop. Moreover, the World Eco-Design Conference has also submitted 3 written statements with inputs to the UN-DESA centering on “Building back better from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) while advancing the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, “Science, technology and innovation at the COVID-19 conjuncture” and “Innovation in education: towards quality access and common good”, providing suggestions for the policy formulation and future development of the ECOSOC, sharing the efforts made by the World Eco-Design Conference during the COVID-19 pandemic, and promoting the concept of eco-design worldwide.

WEDC has been invited by the United Nations Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries (UNTBLDC) to attend the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries scheduled to take place in Doha, Qatar on March 5-9, 2023 as an NGO with special consultative status; Also to co-host a forum and exhibition to display cooperation achievements of the 2 organizations.

In the future, WEDC will keep joining the efforts with all walks of life to promote diversified human ecology through design, create environmental ecology for sustainability by design, and promote healthy industrial ecology by the power of design. WEDC will take initiatives to engage in activities associated with the UN, and further explore international cooperation in order to continue speaking up for world eco-design.