The signing is in line with the recent announcement of China taking the number one position of Dubai’s trading partners with traded goods exceeding the AED965 billion mark. The recent visit of the Chinese President Xi Jinping to the UAE further emphasises China’s growing importance in the development of key sectors across the UAE and wider MENA-region, including the local design sector.
As part of the collaboration, the partners have launched the MENA-wide Silk Road Design Competition, with proposals being accepted until January 15th. The organisers are calling on design students and professional designers to submit their innovative homeware and jewellery design projects, offering the chance of winning cash prizes of up to AED60,000 per entrant.
Commenting on the partnership, Jazia Al Dhanhani, Chief Executive Officer of DDFC, said, “Creative industries are playing an increasingly prominent role in the cultural and economic development of Dubai and the wider region. Fostering creative talent within this sector forms a fundamental pillar for economic competitiveness, innovative thinking and community enrichment, and is considered a key catalyst for the development of Dubai’s economy.”
She continued: “Our latest partnership with SRP Group is a testimony to our commitment to develop the local design industries, while building bridges with our trading partners from China. The MoU signing and the launch of the Silk Road Design Competition is a first step in what we hope is the beginning of a fruitful and long-lasting relationship.”
Xu Jie, the Chairman of SRP Group, commented, “Dubai has developed into a regional hub, serving as an important destination for China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Over the past years, China has continued to invest into strategically important sectors of the UAE. The newly launched Silk Road Design Competition further underpins those developments by encouraging young and creative designers from the region to design homeware and jewellery products for the regional and Chinese markets.
He added: “We believe that this is an excellent opportunity for the local design industry to work with a Chinese company and to create culturally rich designs that are unique to the market, while further deepening our mutual understanding of each other’s art and culture.”
The competition will feature two design categories divided into homeware and jewellery. Each category offering a grand prize of AED60,000 for first-place, AED30,000 for second place of up to two winners and AED10,000 for third place going to three entrants.
The selection process will be headed by leading design experts invited by DDFC and SRP Group.
About DDFC:
In 2013, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum issued Decree No (23) determining the formation of the Dubai Design and Fashion Council (DDFC), a member of the Dubai Creative Clusters Authority (DCCA). Established in 2014, DDFC’s mandate is to raise the profile of Dubai as a regional and global destination for design and fashion, ensure the contribution of the creative industries to the sustainable development of the Emirate, stimulate trade and tourism, develop local talent, and attract companies operating in the fields of design and fashion to Dubai.
DDFC oversees, supports, promotes and drives initiatives related to 5 key design segments - Fashion Design, Product Design, Architecture, Interior Design, and Graphic Design.
For more information on DDFC visit our website: www.ddfc.ae.
DDFC Social Media:
Instagram: @ddfcdubai
Twitter: @ddfcdubai
Hashtags used: #ddfcdubai #in5ddfcmembership
About SRP Group:
Headquartered in China, SRP Group is recognized as a comprehensive service platform that connects (specializing in online and offline trading) businesses in countries along the Belt and Road. Started in 2006, the Group has developed its businesses into three core areas: philately products, online trading with payments settlement and certifications and design and distribute its own branded jewelry.
In past years, SRP Group has focused more on licensed products specially in precious metal and developed a platform that helps manage design, manufacturing, distribution of various products. The Group acquired IPs from International Olympic Committee, FIFA, and designed, distributed successfully licensed products thus became a leading company in this field in China.
In 2015, SRP Group founded Silk Road E-Station Middle East Trade FZE in JAFZA, Dubai, UAE aiming to develop its MENA market. With the capability of managing state of art manufacturing activities in collectibles in precious metals and other high-end products, SRP Group is hoping to raise awareness of high quality of Chinese products thus enabling a new way of trading in the Middle East.
Visit SRP’s website to learn more: www.silkeroad.cn.
*Source: AETOSWire
