The 2009 World Design Congress and the 1st Beijing International Design Week will open on Saturday in the capital at National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA). The congress has been themed "Xin,"or trust; it aims to initiate international dialogue on the subjects of access, balance, communicate and define.

Known as the Olympic Games for designers, the World Design Congress began in Zurich in 1964 and has been held successfully 22 times. Today it is considered one of the most important design events in the world. It not only attracts designers and business people, but also promotes the development of the design industry in the host country.

This year's congress will be composed of themed lectures, forums, 12 exhibitions and six designing events. The opening ceremony of the congress will be held at the NCPA, emceed by Chinese TV host Yang Lan.

A two-day international design forum will open Tuesday at the Central Academy of Fine Arts. Up to 80 seminars themed access, balance, communicate and defi ne, will be open for participation and discussion. A total of 97 internationally- renowned designers, including Sol Sender who designed the logo for Obama's presidential campaign, Japanese designer Kohei Sugiura and the Netherlands' Jan van Toorn, will participate in the forum and present lectures.

Exhibitions on offer include creative designs for daily life, selected industrial design, as well as automobile, green and international poster design. Works from Brazil, Northern Europe and clothing by some of China's ethnic minorities will also be showcased.

Graduates from China's Central Academy of Fine Arts will exhibit their best designs as part of the congress.

Journey to Beijing's Design Industry aims to raise awareness of local works and promote Beijing as a global design capital. Congress participants will also have the opportunity to tour industrial exhibition centers, museums and tourist attractions as well as design centers and schools.

The congress has already drawn 400 Chinese and foreign designers from the spheres of graphic design, architecture, urban planning, product design, fashion, web and interactive media design, the movie industry and brand imaging.