Challenge the Status Quo - Design Conversations

Last week, I was invited to speak by dcenter in Baltimore for Design Conversations regarding the state of design in the Arab region. I was speaking alongside Baltimore Design School (a new public school focused on design and architecture which is such a fantastic idea) and my roommate who was discussing Failure.

I was given free range with this theme and could lead it into whichever path I desired. Since my audience was predominantly white designers and architects, I wanted to introduce the topic by being detailed but not too detailed so as to lose everyone (like going into the history of the Lebanese Civil War for example). I wanted people to hear something they don't usually hear which will enable them to see the topic a little differently.

I first discussed how design and media are perceived in the region, moved onto the state of the education system, then off to the Arab inferiority complex and why we need to challenge the status quo (the motto of Kalimat) and ended off with why I started Kalimat and its role and importance in media and design amongst Arabs. Mission accomplished, or so I think!

Speaking of Kalimat, Issue 03 (Fall 2011) was launched a couple of weeks ago, have a look: