Aug 14, 2008, 5:00 PM
UIC Innovation Center

Saki Mafundikwa
Afrikan Development by Design: Zimbabwe

In the industrialized countries, design and development are Siamese twins – the two are intrinsically linked. In the developing world in general, but Afrika in particular, we still have a long way to go. Most Afrikan Governments do not consider design a national priority. The spread of technology and the new media, however, are chipping away at this attitude and there seems to be growing awareness of the importance of design as a tool for development among some of Afrika’s leadership. Design education is the answer as Saki Mafundikwa will illustrate in his hour-long lecture, which will be made available by Podcast.

RSVP: uicmoto.innovation@gmail.com

Presented by UIC School of Art and Design: Design Anthropology, Motorola, and AIGA Chicago.

Saki Mafundikawa is the founder and director of the Zimbabwe Institute of Vigital Arts (ZIVA) a design and new media training college in Harare. He was educated in the USA with a BA in Telecommunications and Fine Arts from Indiana University and an MFA in Graphic Design from Yale University. He worked for a dozen years in New York City as a graphic designer, art director, and design teacher before returning home in 1998. He is the author of the book, “Afrikan Alphabets: the Story of Writing in Africa.”