Nearly 300 Young Design Talents around the World Joined to "Embrace - iSee Taiwan"

-iSee Taiwan Foundation and Sayling Wen Cultural & Educational Foundation proudly hosted the "iSee Taiwan Design Gala"

TAIPEI, Taiwan, Dec. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2015 Global Design Talent Festival, jointly created by iSee Taiwan Foundation and Sayling Wen Cultural & Educational Foundation, celebrated its grand finale on November 30! Nearly 300 design elites from Japan, Korea, the UK, Germany, U.S.A., Russia, China and Taiwan were invited to attend the iSee Taiwan Design Gala, hosted by the two foundations. Don Chen, CEO of iSee Taiwan Foundation, Jeter Ho, CEO of Sayling Wen Cultural and Educational Foundation, Professor Apex Lin, the host of "2015 Global Talent Design Festival", Bing Kuen Tsai, Political Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Ling Sih, Lin, Political Deputy Minister of Education, and representatives from 10 International Design Organizations were also present to witness the glorious moment for all the award winners, marking a perfect ending to the festival.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151201/292094

The theme for the "iSee Taiwan Design Gala" this year is "Embrace - iSee Taiwan".  The foundations specially created an atmosphere decorated using arc-shaped designs of different sizes symbolizing an embrace and recognition to all the future international design talents born from the competition. Guests also enjoyed a powerful and classic performances by Ten Drums and Diabolo Dance Theater, which most definitely delighted participants in a very unique cultural experience, and by simultaneously combining Taiwanese authentic cuisines, it is hoped that guests can appreciate a very different Taiwan.

A spiritual symbol named "The Universe of Human Culture" sculpture, which is created by Japan's national treasure, Shigeo Fukuda, was displayed at the Design Gala. The inner part of this sculpture is designed with 46 flags of the participating countries meaning "Let the world see Taiwan", while on the outside, symbolizing "Taiwan embracing the world". The highlight of the evening was the lighting ceremony, where CEOs of the two Foundations and Representatives from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Culture, and 10 International Design Organizations together lighted up the big lantern, using the occasion to display a merge of Taiwan's traditional and modern culture, so that the Gala would not have served merely as a grand celebration, but most importantly, become an essential portal for the world to see Taiwan.

Design Festival attracted International Participation, with focus on the designs for Brand Specific Category

With iSee Taiwan Foundation's vision as "becoming an essential portal for the world to see Taiwan", and Sayling Wen Cultural & Educational Foundation's vision to "nurture a warmhearted society of humanist devotion and innovative thinking", both foundations placed tremendous effort in showing full support for the 2015 Taiwan International Design Competition. Not only did the two foundations sponsor two "Brand Specific Category" awards, but also increased five additional recipients for the "International Design Organizations Special Award". Given the scale of the competition, this year it has expanded to a festival, inviting representatives from 10 International Design Organizations, award winning students, and organizing a series of cultural experience tours, aiming to spread the wonderful aspects of Taiwan to the world.

The Brand Specific Category sponsored by the iSee Taiwan Foundation offered two awards - the iSee Taiwan Image Poster Design and the iSee Taiwan Product Design for the New Year/Spring Festival. Don Chen, CEO of iSee Taiwan Foundation, expressed: "Brand Specific Category awards were designed for students to get familiarized with Taiwan, followed by designing Taiwan image posters and Chinese New Year gifts filled with our traditional elements, as a means to strengthen their impressions of our country so that their designs may attract more overseas visitors to see the good and the beauty of Taiwan."

The two Brand Specific Category competitions received a total of 901 submissions from Taiwan, China and Singapore. The gold prize was awarded to Pie-Chun Chou of Asia University with his poster design themed "Taiwan Fashion", and I-Hsin Huang of Taiwan's Tatung University with her design named "Together". The "Taiwan Fashion" poster featured Taipei 101 and Kaohsiung's 85 Sky Tower, demonstrating the modern characteristics of Taiwanese cities using an upward extension of lines and gradients, while "Together" combined aboriginal image and Hakka textile designs to present Taiwan's ethnic integration in the designs for red envelopes and greeting cards. The two original designs were a perfect representation of the foundation's primary fundamentals on culture, tourism and innovation.

Jeter Ho, CEO of Sayling Wen Cultural & Educational Foundation, said: "It was wonderful to see our young talents exchanging ideas with our International Design elites during the Design Master Lectures and Global Design workshops. It was also a valuable opportunity for the Foundation to see its goal in cultivating outstanding talents being implemented, watching young talents inject positive energy into their designs, and integrating their designs with the Global Design industry."

Professor Apex Lin, Program Host of "2015 Global Talent Design Festival", said: "It was an honor to have representatives from 10 International Design Organizations together in Taiwan. It was also a great opportunity that at the preparation meeting for the Best Design School Ranking of the Taiwan International Student Design Competition, International Design elites were able to offer their expert advice on Taiwan's future design plan from their personal experience and market trends. Obviously, it was not only a recognition of Taiwan's design strength, but also a cultural exchange between Taiwan's design industry and Global design mainstream. We will endeavor to extend Taiwan's influence to the International market and continue refining Taiwan's design works."

The success of the "2015 Global Design Talent Festival" not only served to present the beauty of Taiwan, but it has also brought on a positive flow of energy into Taiwan's design industry. All award winning submissions conveyed the passion of participating students, and the energy and innovative views of the younger generation. The award winning pieces will be on display at Taiwan Design Theater at the Songshan Cultural Park until December 3.  

About 2015 Global Talent Design Festival

iSee Taiwan Foundation and Sayling Wen Cultural & Educational Foundation sponsored the 2015 Taiwan International Design Competition, and expanded the competition into a 2015 Global Design Talent Festival. Representatives from 10 International Design Organizations and Award-winning students and instructors were invited to come and experience Cultural tours, Design Master Lectures, Global Design workshops, and iSee Taiwan Design Gala, all of which the two foundations especially designed for the occasion.

The purpose of iSee Taiwan Design Gala is to recognize and honor the competition's winners, and provide exchange of ideas between design talents. It is the foundation's hope that through this event, the guests from around the world may experience Taiwan's traditional cultural performances and signature cuisines.

About iSee Taiwan Foundation (www.iseetaiwan.org)

Mr. Sayling Wen founded the iSee Taiwan Foundation in 2003. After becoming Chairman in 2008, Ted Wen formalized the vision of the foundation as "becoming an essential portal for the world to see Taiwan" in the three core realms of culture, tourism, and innovation. The dual missions of the iSee Taiwan Foundation are to successfully market Taiwan's unique character and heritage globally and to make the world the target of Taiwan's service market. After taking over as Chairman of the foundation in 2015, Audrey Yang has continued to promote the spirit of loving Taiwan; to focus the world's attention on Taiwan's beautiful spirit; and to illuminate, integrate and promote the culture and friendly nature of places throughout Taiwan with the ultimate goals of encouraging more inbound tourism and boosting demand and opportunities for the domestic service industry.

About Sayling Wen Cultural & Educational Foundation (www.saylingwen.org.tw)

Mr. Ted Wen, the incumbent Chairman of the Foundation, has declared three core principles for the Foundation: Education, Innovation, and Care. Pivoted around these core values is his vision to "Nurture a warmhearted society of humanist devotion and innovative thinking." The Foundation's continuing efforts in promoting educational programs. Going forward, the four pillars of the Foundation will be embedding the Chinese culture education in primary and secondary schools, enhancing career skills and teamwork mindset for vocational and college students, promoting lifelong learning in community and advocating service innovation to boost national competitiveness. While Taiwan is on its way toward a sophisticated "Service Economy", the Foundation will also continue to devote every effort to promote the four pillars with the aim to breed new service talents, enhance Taiwan's national competitiveness, and play a key enabling role to Taiwan's transformation.

Representatives from 10 international design organizations for iSee Taiwan Design Gala

Related Links

http://www.iseetaiwan.org