In a global appeal following the devastation in Haiti, the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) has launched a call to designers from all disciplines to unite in an open dialogue with international relief organizations to assess potential design-effective rehabilitation projects.

In support of the UN’s efforts to help the Haitian people overcome challenges in relation to the country’s reconstruction plans, designers, academics and design students, as well as experienced developmental workers are encouraged to join the discussion and become a fan of the ‘Uniting Designers in Disaster’ page on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/International-Council-of-Societies-of-Industrial-Design-Icsid/110581649586#. The forum is intended to help identify tangible opportunities and empower the design community to contribute to the cause.

“What we aim to do with the forum is engage designers to exchange information about initiatives and opportunities where they may contribute their design and problem solving skills. In addition, we are hoping that the dialogue between the design community, development workers and representatives from international agencies will subsequently facilitate relief efforts, such as those currently being prepared by the UN to help the people of Haiti meet long-term stabilization and reconstruction objectives,” said Icsid President Dr. Mark Breitenberg and Provost of California College of the Arts.

In an effort to take immediate action, all information posted via the forum by January 27, 2010 will be actively reviewed in order to select opportunities for immediate international activities.

“This is a call to think in order to act,” stated Breitenberg. “Our immediate goal is to gain a better understanding of the relief efforts needed in order to facilitate the development of design-led solutions that impact Haiti’s quality of life.”