The Danish-based not-for-profit organization INDEX: Design to Improve Life launches a pioneering partnership model with three of the world’s leading design capitals. This innovative alliance will raise awareness of design as a significant way to create promising solutions to the world’s – and the partner cities’ – most pressing challenges.

INDEX:’s mission is to promote and to apply design and design processes that have the capacity to improve people’s lives worldwide. By entering the INDEX: Partner City Network, Helsinki, Singapore and Copenhagen become a vital part of this mission. Furthermore, the partner cities are now part of the movement that challenges the traditional concepts and stereotypes of design; highlighting the complexity of the design field, and demonstrating very different solutions to problems such as education, urban transportation and climate change.

“The combination of modern solutions with quality of life is essential. In Copenhagen, we are looking forward to getting high quality inspiration and sharing experiences with other cities through the INDEX: Partnership”, says the Lord Mayor of Copenhagen Mr. Frank Jensen.

The mission of the DesignSingapore Council is to develop Singapore into a global city for design where design innovation drives economic growth and enhances the quality of life. The Council promotes and develops the design industries as a creative cluster, encourages the adoption of design by enterprises and nurtures a climate of co-creation and innovation through design.

The Lord Mayor of Helsinki, Mr. Jussi Pajunen, is also looking forward to reap the benefits of the new partnership, and says: "Through the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 project the whole Finnish metropolitan region is committed to design-led development as the source of wellbeing and competitiveness. All cities globally share the need for better solutions. The INDEX: Partner City Network is an excellent platform for learning and sharing from other cities and individuals."

Source: INDEX: