Beirut Design Week (BDW) is back to disrupt again. Spanning 10 comprehensive days in all of Beirut's areas, this year's edition will cover every aspect of design, sustainability, education and cultural change in more than 150 events across a 100 locations for workshops, exhibitions, open studios, film screenings, talks, tours, public interventions and conferences. The largest growing design festival in Lebanon and MENA, this year's fifth edition, themed "Growing Sustainability", takes place on May 20-29 in different districts across all of Beirut.

Sustainability means development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Although primarily focused on ecology and the environment, it also involves social, cultural and economic aspects of life. 

The talks at BDW, given by international and regional speakers, include:

• Innovation as a Dutch experience by Daan Roosegaarde, Netherlands
• Sustainability in poster design by Bettina Richter, Switzerland
• Sustainability & the City1: Design & The City By Public Works Studio
• Sustainability & the City2: Beyond Ked By Lebanese Architecture Club & Mena Drc
• Beyond Sustainability: A Look At Biophilia & Biomimicry By TheOtherDada
• Integrating Traditional Craftsmanship Into Current Design By Intaj
• Scrap Lab By Singh Intrachooto, Thaliland

2 exciting and challenging competions will also take place:

• Raidy 3D Printing Trophy competition: for the best 3D printed project.
• SWAP 01: challenges you to create a design that seeks to reduce the waste of resources by improving the consumer's experience and his relationship with the product.

A collection of various exhibitions will also take place at the event:

• We are all Makers: Users Assembled Designs, by Beirut Makers
• Finnish Design Exhibition By Beacon Helsinki, Finland
• Déjà -Vu: Poster Collection By Museum Für Gestaltung Zürich, Switzerland
• Sustainable Design Exhibition
• Harvest Mushroom Installation By Adrian Perez & George Hobeika 
• Designing & Manufacturing Sustainably By Waste:
• The Future Of Sustainability In Fashion By Rolf Heimann (author and illustrator) & Christophe Beaufays

The main goal of the event is to encourage creative economies, intercultural exchange, design education, social impact, and design entrepreneurship. To view its full schedule, visit this page.

Established in 2012 by the MENA Design Research Center, Beirut Design Week promotes the role of design in social impact while taking into account the relevant local and regional context. It aims to showcase the best of Lebanese and international design in order to strengthen creative economies and foster entrepreneurship.

Don't forget to register for the workshops and talks you wish to attend. See you on May 20!