The World Bank is an international development organization dedicated to reducing poverty. Alcantara is an Italian company that produces a unique material used in high-end cars, interiors, fashion, and hi-tech. At first glance, unlikely partners.  What unites them? A shared commitment to sustainability and tackling climate change.

This common goal was the inspiration for a series of panel discussions entitled Alcantara Dialogues- Connect4Climate: Re-think, Re-Design, Re-new, co-hosted by the World Bank’s Connect4Climate (C4C) initiative and the 100% carbon-neutral company Alcantara at the Temporary Museum for New Design during Milan Design Week (April 9-14, 2013).

The high-profile dialogues took place in a 300-square meter pavilion designed by internationally-renowned architect Giulio Cappellini using Alcantara materials to create an innovative sensory experience.

The space also featured a C4C exhibition of user-generated climate stories and images from around the world designed by projection designer Jared Mezzocchi for the more than 300,000 visitors who came to Milan Design Week.

From April 9 -12, 2013, the discussion series featured influencers from the worlds of design and architecture, fashion, corporate social responsibility, global advocacy, entertainment, and the arts.

Panelists included: Corrado Clini, Italian Minister of the Environment; Cyril Muller, World Bank Vice President for External Affairs; Donald Ranvaud, International Film Producer;  Franca Sozzani, Vogue Italia Editor-in-Chief; Betty Williams, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate; and Kenny Young, Grammy Award-winning Songwriter, Music Producer, and Artists Project Earth (APE) Founder.

The lively high-level discussions were moderated by Joseph Grima, Editor of Domus; Eliza Anyangwe, Senior Content Coordinator from the Guardian, Zoe Fox, Content Coordinator from Mashable, and Izzy Lawrence, Host, Writer, and DJ from MTV.

As World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim has said, “To deliver bold solutions on climate change, we need to listen to and engage broader and more diverse audiences.” 

This unusual public/private partnership was an effort to do just that - by stimulating new conversations with thought-leaders from a wide variety of disciplines to create a greater understanding of how sustainable design and business practices can impact social behavior to mitigate climate change.

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