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City To Host Major Architects' Indaba14 July, 2008 Story Written By Siyabonga Maphumulo Durban is to host the World Congress of the International Union of Architects. The city was selected ahead of Singapore to host the 2014 conference, one of the world’s largest indabas on architecture and urban design. The congress’s main objective is to provide architects with an opportunity to participate in a series of culturally and professionally enriching events based on a specific theme. Mayor Obed Mlaba said Durban’s successful bid for the congress was proof that the city was fast edging in on Cape Town and Johannesburg. “This can be attributed to the expansion of the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Conference Centre to world class standards, and the city’s exemplary record when it comes to hosting international conferences,” he said. The mayor said Durban should use its host status to empower its youth. He said it was acknowledged by even the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education, Ina Cronje, that the education system was not producing enough skilled professionals, which in turn had led to the country having to import skills. “But let this congress be an eye-opener to the youth who have aspirations of becoming architects in future. “We need to target teachers and pupils at primary schools and expose them to such conferences if we are serious about producing world-class professionals in such fields,” Mlaba said. The UIA is a non-governmental organisation uniting the professional associations of architects in more than 110countries and representing about 1 300 000 architects. The South African Institute of Architect’s bid theme for the UIA 2014 Congress was titled MultipliCITY: World Future. It encompasses the development of richer responses to the challenges facing urbanists and architects. maphumulosiya@durban.gov.za |
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