The 2021 edition of the Italian Design Days in Amman, Jordan attracted great attention from the public. The event, held from 9 to 12 October at the Sweifieh Village, is linked to the annual Italian Design Day event, launched in 2017 by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the patronage of the Italian Ministry of Culture.
Italian Design Days, with its extensive programme of promotional events curated by Italian Embassies, Consulates and Trade Agencies abroad, has become over the years an effective tool to support the promotion of Italian design and the internationalization of an industry that is strategic for Italian exports. Each year, over 100 designers and experts contribute in promoting Italian design and creativity in the world.
The main theme of Italian Design Days 2021 is “Project and materials: new challenges for the sustainable recovery of Made in Italy”. The theme is closely linked to the proactive attitude of Italian design and of the “Made in Italy system”, and it celebrates their ability to imagine new scenarios and overcome self-referential rhetoric, while constantly keeping the improvement of our lives and the protection of the planet at the centre of what is on offer.
The main event of the 2021 edition of Italian Design Days in Jordan, organized by the Embassy of Italy and the Amman Office of the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), is the artistic exhibition “The drawings of Vico Magistretti“. The exhibition celebrates the life and work of famous architect and designer Vico Magistretti.
The exhibition had already been hosted in Ramallah by the Italian consulate general and the Amman office of ITA, which is also in charge of foreign trade with Iraq and Palestine, on the occasion of Palestine Design Day.
Italian Ambassador to Jordan Fabio Cassese noted that “Magistretti worked with important companies, all around the world, establishing himself as a leader in the fields of design, architecture, innovative industry and artistic creation. We are happy to share this wonderful exhibition with our Jordanian friends, always so hungry for novelty and innovation, especially if coming from Italy“.
The exhibition, curated by Dar Art Agency, is completed by five showrooms set up by major Jordanian companies to exhibit furniture and design objects, accessories and tools produced by the most important Italian brands present in the country. “This is an unmatched promotional and commercial opportunity for Italian design, and marks the restart of our in-presence activities in Amman” Ambassador Cassese added.
According to Eurostat data, from January to June 2021, Italy exported €230.9 million worth of goods to Jordan, marking an increase of + 26.3% compared to the same period in 2020. Fine pearls, stones and precious metal, for a total value of €51.6 million, became the most exported items, + 221.3% compared to the same period of 2020. In the following positions, we find machines and mechanical devices for €40.4 million, household appliances for €14.3 million (+ 54.3%), furniture for €9.7 million (+ 28%) and plastics for €8.8 million (+ 13.4%).
