NNA – On the occasion of the Italian Design Day (9 March 2023), an event promoted annually by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation with the support of the Ministry of Culture and in collaboration with ITA, Agency for the promotion abroad and the internationalization of companies, Italian institutions in Lebanon are organizing a series of initiatives on the creative and industrial excellence of Italian design from Wednesday 8 to Wednesday 15 March 2023.
The theme of the 2023 edition, “Design energy for people and the environment. the quality that illuminates", is aimed at promoting international participation in the 61st edition of the Milan Furniture Fair, scheduled from 18 to 23 April 2023, alongside with Euroluce 2023, an event dedicated to lighting design and lighting technology, which will return after a four-year break due to the pandemic.
The inauguration took place in the presence of the Italian Ambassador to Lebanon Nicoletta Bombardiere and of ITA Director in Beirut Claudio Pasqualucci with an intervention by Italian Architect Paolo Zani.
Marking the inauguration of the exhibition, Italian Ambassador to Lebanon, Nicoletta Bombardiere, delivered the following message:
“Dear Gabriel Fernaine,
Distinguished guests,
it is a pleasure to be with you here, in front of such a crowded audience, for the 7th edition of the Italian Design Day, which is an annual thematic showcase consisting of a wide-ranging program of promotional events around the world.
This year’s topic – “The quality that lights up. The energy of Design for people and the environment” . In other words, Italian design, through its conceptual and productive energy, aims at bringing “light”, with the tool that has always been its own: quality, understood not as a luxury, but as a factor of sustainable and responsible development.
In this regard, there could have been no better place than Rebirth Beirut to host this event. As we all know, Rebirth Beirut was established after 2020’s tragic blast. And among its many generous initiatives for the benefit of this city, there is bringing back public lightning to the streets of Beirut. Being here today reminds us that “light” and “energy” are not simply metaphors, they are indeed basic public goods, that we should all strive to protect as they are the backbone of a thriving society.
This event, the whole Italian Design showcase, is more than just a promotion event.
It is also that, of course, and I am proud to represent the country in Europe with the highest number of design companies.
I am proud to recall the architectural affinities between Italy and Lebanon, starting from the Venice inspired triple windows that embellish Lebanese houses.
I am encouraged that more Lebanese students choose Italian universities such as Milan and Turin Polytechnics to continue their studies in design, engineer and architecture.
But, more than anything else, I invite you to look at this event by focusing on the core essence of design: that is, a creative effort aimed at improving people’s quality of life. There is an element of responsibility which should be inherent in every act of creation and production, striving for safeguarding the planet resources. I hope this will more and more the main inspiration for the best energies and talents of our societies. In this spirit let me recall Rome candidacy to host 2030 Expo.
Finally, let me express my appreciation for the activities related to the Design Day that took place yesterday in different Lebanese Universities specifically addressed to young students, and in Galerie Seeman, iconic place of the Italian design in Beirut.
Let me now know give the floor to this year testimonial, Architect Paolo Zani, who will tell us more about his successful experience in design and creativity.”
The 2023 edition brings together different facets of the sector, from quality as a connector along the entire Italian design supply chain, to energy as an element at the base of the production process, from sustainability and respect for the environment, to people as a pillar around which innovative ideas are developed and conceived to combine functionality and well-being.
Key principles around which Rome's candidacy to host the 2030 Universal Exposition also develops.
The rich program hosts various events and initiatives aimed at a wide public: people from the sector, designers and professionals, universities and students.
A round table for representatives of the sector, key opinion leaders (KOL) and architects at La Galerie Semaan will open the exhibition on Wednesday 8 March and will see the participation of the Italian architect and designer Paolo Zani, as a special guest. He will be accompanied in the conversation by the Director of ITA Beirut, Claudio Pasqualucci, and by Lebanese designers, Karen Chekerdjian and Karim Bekdache.
A tour of the Galerie Semaan will follow to retrace Italian design from the 1930s to today.
Events will continue on 9 and 10 March at the cultural space of Rebirth Beirut, in Gemmazye, with a photographic exhibition of iconic objects dedicated to Italian design and open to the public.
The exhibition includes a selection of Italian design objects and furnishing accessories, linked by the common thread of quality, usability and sustainability, immersive and interactive presentations created thanks to artificial intelligence and the photographic exhibition "Light on Made in Italy”, created by “INTERNI – The Magazine of Interiors and Contemporary Design” promoted by the Italian Cultural Institute. The works tell the story of the great Italian artisan tradition and quality, highlighting the experiences of companies and designers.
The “Light on MADE IN ITALY” exhibition will remain open to visitors at Rebirth Beirut until Wednesday 15 March 2023.
The objects will be exhibited on March 9 and 10 thanks to the generous contribution of Ad Home Collection, Baroody Group, Colombini Casa of Société Georges Matta, Debbane Freres, Debbas, Design Lounge, Farra Design Center, Intermeuble/Alessi, Le Cercle Hitti, Nicolas Bou Khater , Perspective Tessuti, Sarkis Lteif & Sons Sal, Talge Luminaire and Vresso, and with the collaboration of Lebanese friends of Italy such as Mario Haddad and Raphael Debbane.
Finally, the Italian designer Paolo Zani will meet the students of three important Lebanese universities (ALBA, Académie Libanaise des Beaux Arts, Université Libanaise, USEK) for a series of masterclasses on the theme of this year's exhibition. On these occasions, a documentary "The importance of being an architect" will be screened. The docufilm produced in 2021 by Giorgio Ferrero and Federico Biasin and presented at the opening of the Milano design Film festival 2021, will be displayed at Rebirth Beirut on 13 March 2023 in a format open to the public.
===============R.H.
