San Diego and Tijuana celebrate a year of design achievements as the first cross-border World Design Capital 2024
SAN DIEGO (Nov. 19, 2024) — World Design Capital® (WDC) San Diego Tijuana 2024 welcomed both local and international visitors last week as part of the World Design Policy Conference, one of three WDC Signature Events taking place in the region Nov. 12-16. The events also included the Network of Cities meeting and the Convocation Ceremony that concluded with the title handover to Frankfurt Rhein Main as the next World Design Capital in 2026.
Designers, municipal and community leaders from across the United States and Mexico, as well as countries including the Philippines, United Kingdom and Taiwan, explored design-led strategies shaping the future of urban living.
Hosted in collaboration with UC San Diego Design Lab and the City of San Diego, the two-day World Design Policy Conference gathered international design leaders and policy experts under the theme of Beyond Boundaries to highlight contrasting experiences from around the globe and showcasing how design has and continues to play a role in uplifting the vitality of cross-border communities.
Attendees convene at the Research and Development District (RaDD) in San Diego for the World Design Policy Conference. Photo credit: Braulio Lam
“Being the first cross-border World Design Capital has been an incredible honor for San Diego and Tijuana,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. “Our partnership with our contemporaries in Tijuana is stronger and the achievements celebrated this year will continue to inspire collaboration and innovation in our region. We’re grateful for the opportunity to lead by example and highlight the power of design to bring cities closer together.”
“It has been an incredible honor for Tijuana to be recognized as the World Design Capital alongside our sister city of San Diego. This designation has provided an extraordinary opportunity to show the world the cross-border collaboration so unique to our region,” said Tijuana Mayor Ismael Burgueño. “It has also provided a platform to celebrate the design talent and achievements of our creative community. I look forward to promoting the creative and cultural industries that strengthen our cultural identity and drive the economic and social growth of our binational region.”
International design leaders and policy experts gathered at the World Design Policy Conference to explore the theme of Beyond Boundaries. Photo credit: Braulio Lam
The community also gathered for the WDC Convocation Ceremony to celebrate the region’s achievements as the first binational World Design Capital, and to mark the upcoming transfer of the WDC title from San Diego and Tijuana to Frankfurt RheinMain. The event brought together government representatives from all three regions, including Mayor Todd Gloria of San Diego, Illya Haro, Director of IMAC (Tijuana’s Municipal Institute of Art and Culture), representing Mayor Ismael Burgueño of Tijuana and Lord Mayor Mike Josef of Frankfurt, who joined the ceremony virtually. “CBS Weekend News” highlighted the unique collaboration between the San Diego Youth Symphony and the Sinfónica Juvenil de Tijuana which kicked off the ceremony
with a new score by Andrés Martín called “Ilimitados” or “Limitless.”
“Being the World Design Capital 2026 has the potential to initiate change in our society. We’re looking forward to receiving and carrying on the flame from San Diego and Tijuana,” said Lord Mayor Josef. “To us, World Design Capital is not just a title: it is a state of mind. Let us design how we want to live.”
International design leaders and policy experts gathered at the World Design Policy Conference to explore the theme of Beyond Boundaries. Photo credit: Braulio Lam
The week concluded with the Network of Cities meeting, where representatives from past, present and future WDCs and other design-forward cities gathered to discuss the role of design in shaping the future of urban living. A series of interactive sessions explored the impact of WDC legacy programs, as well as future opportunities for collaboration and design-based solutions to the many civic and environmental challenges faced by cities around the globe.
Reflecting on the week’s activities as “a platform for the exchange of global insights, ideas and best practices”, WDO President Dr. Thomas Garvey said, “For the first time in WDO’s history, we’ve had the opportunity to experience the design journey of two cities, united under one World Design Capital. Over the past 300 days or so, we’ve witnessed the unique cultural, economic and physical ties that define the San Diego Tijuana region and hope the WDC designation will continue to be a beacon that empowers this community in their pursuit of design-led solutions that transcend borders.”
San Diego and Tijuana’s World Design Capital program will continue through to the end of the year. For more details about the remaining events, visit wdc2024.org.
For more information, please contact:
Maria Fernanda Currea, WDC 2024 Chief Communications & Marketing Officer:
mariafernanda.currea@wdc2024.org
Christina Sweeney, WDC Frankfurt RheinMain 2026 Lead Communications:
christina.sweeney@wdc2026.org
Natalie Dutil, WDO Communications Manager: natalie@wdo.org
About World Design Organization
World Design Organization (WDO)® is an international non-governmental organization and the
international voice for industrial design. The organization advocates 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
About World Design Capital
Designated every two years by the World Design Organization, World Design Capital® (WDC)
recognizes cities for their effective use of design to drive economic, social, cultural, and
environmental development. Through a year-long program of events, the designated city
showcases best practices in sustainable design-led urban policy and innovation that have
reinvented their city and improved quality of life. Previous WDCs include Torino (Italy) in 2008, followed by Seoul (South Korea) in 2010, Helsinki (Finland) in 2012, Cape Town (South Africa) in 2014, Taipei (Taiwan, Chinese Taipei) in 2016, Mexico City (Mexico) in 2018, Lille Metropole (France) in 2020 and Valencia (Spain) in 2022. The cities of San Diego (USA) and Tijuana (Mexico) jointly hold the designation for 2024, while the region of Frankfurt RheinMain (Germany) will assume the title in 2026. Bids are now being accepted for the 2028 designation. For more information, visit wdo.org/wdc.
About World Design Capital San Diego Tijuana 2024
The selection of the San Diego Tijuana joint bid makes it the first cross-border World Design Capital in history. While the designation is for both cities as one connected community, San Diego is the first U.S. city ever to receive the designation. Tijuana is the second city in Mexico to hold the title, following Mexico City in 2018. WDC 2024 has hosted a series of events, exhibitions and summits including six signature events and supported over 300 public events and initiatives that address the region’s most pressing challenges through design, and create a unified force for regional transformation. The region’s designation reflects the collective efforts of founding partners UC San Diego Design Lab, Design Forward Alliance, Burnham Center for Community Advancement, City of San Diego and City of Tijuana, and numerous community supporters. For more information, visit wdc2024.org
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