Icograda's Japanese network includes five members organisations and countless individual Icograda Friends. We have been fortunate to hear from each organisation that they are safe and operational. They have unanimously expressed their gratitude for the support of the international design community and offers to help.

Our prayers and support are with our colleagues, friends and their families. The days ahead will be diffcult, as the full scope of the devastation from the 11 March earthquake and tsunami becomes clearer, and as we continue to monitor with concern the impact of the events at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Our members in 67 countries and regions around the globe stand with Japan today and for the future.

As a community, Japan has been one of our most active supporters throughout Icograda's history. A group of 68 Japanese designers are the founders who enabled Icograda Friends to become the community that it is today.

We are examining ways that Icograda can contribute to the relief and reconstruction efforts. We are doing this in partnership with our international networks.

Our criteria for becoming actively involved will be Icograda's capacity to contribute positively to needs identified by our Japanese members - who have begun to plan how the design community can make a difference for the future.

Through our President Elect, Leimei Julia Chiu, we know that the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organisation (JIDPO) and the Japan Graphic Designers Association Inc. (JAGDA) are collaborating to collect case studies about how design can contribute to improving the quality of life in transitional shelters, an initiative they hope to make a global resource.
 

Share your knowledge

The long-term reconstruction efforts are just beginning to take shape. As a first step, we are collecting case studies and experiences internationally.

If you have case studies of how design can contribute to rebuilding communities facing natural calamities, you can share them via our Facebook page, Twitter or through the . We will collect all input and share it with our Japanese colleagues.

Via Facebook, you may also contribute resources for the Institute of Information Design Japan (IIDj), who have requested support and assistance in visualising data for the public.

How you can help now

A number of our member organisations have asked how they can help now. To contribute immediately to the relief efforts, we recommend making a donation directly to the Japanese Red Cross.

We will keep you updated as our plans evolve and take shape.


Russell Kennedy
Icograda President 2009-2011