Alcantara & World Bank focus on sustainability

Entitled "Alcantara Dialogues - Connect4Climate: Re-think, Re-Design, Re-new," the program was co-hosted by the World Bank's Connect4Climate (C4C) initiative and Alcantara, a 100 percent carbon-neutral company.

The discussion series featured leaders from the worlds of design, architecture, fashion, global advocacy, entertainment, and the arts and took place at the Temporary Museum for New Design during Milan Design Week (April 9-14).

Panelists included: Corrado Clini , Italian Minister of the Environment; Cyril Muller , World Bank vice president for External Affairs; film producer Donald Ranvaud; Franca Sozzani , Vogue Italia editor-in-chief; Betty Williams , Nobel Peace Prize Laureate; and Kenny Young , Grammy Award-winning songwriter and founder of Artists Project Earth (APE).

The high-level discussions were moderated by Joseph Grima , editor of Domus; Eliza Anyangwe , senior content coordinator for the Guardian; Zoe Fox , content coordinator from Mashable, and MTV-host Izzy Lawrence .

The high-profile dialogues took place in a 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 climate stories and images from around the world.

The Alcantara-World Bank program was designed to stimulate conversations by thought-leaders from a wide variety of disciplines to create greater understanding for how sustainable design and business practices can impact social behavior to mitigate climate change.

World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim pointed out that "to deliver bold solutions on climate change, we need to listen to and engage broader and more diverse audiences."

Andrea Boragno , Alcantara's CEO and chairman, added that, "We view sustainability as an opportunity, not a cost. Given our shared objectives and values, partnering with the World Bank's Connect4Climate was a natural step for Alcantara - not only because of our long-standing commitment to carbon neutrality, but also because of our desire to provide a platform for meaningful dialogues which will spur people to re-think, re-design, and re-new."

Following is a selection of quotes from program panelists:

Architect Giulio Cappellini -- "On one hand, it is important to create really beautiful products, but on the other hand we must also try to give people a better way of life, and help to make a positive impact on the places where we live. In this way, design and architecture can really make people dream for a better future."

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Betty Williams -- "Anyone involved in the work for peace and justice must be involved in the work for Mother Earth. It is all of our responsibility to challenge governments to take action against climate change."