APID gains IFI membership

APID, the association representing professional interior designers in the UAE and Gulf region, has been given IFI (International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers) membership at the 23rd IFI General Assembly in Busan, South Korea. The successful application means APID is the first association from an Arab country to be given membership to the organisation.

The IFI is the principal international body bringing interior architects and designers together in one organisation and represents over 25,000 interior designers from 45 countries worldwide.

When asked why APID decided to apply for membership Dr. John Alexander Smith, vice president APID said: "APID will benefit from the international recognition and will be in touch with mainstream developments in professional practice that affect this increasingly global vocation. It will benefit from exposure to acknowledged international standards of professional practice as developed by IFI, while confirming that APID standards match international norms."

He added: "During Index 2006 the APID stand was visited by many interior designers from other countries whose associations were members of IFI, so we decided in subsequent council meetings to apply ourselves for membership."

The association's inclusion fills the void of Middle East representation within the international organisation. Smith said that this along with the strength of APID's presentation before the assembly was the reason for their membership. He went on to say that APID intends to put forward a case for representing the entire Gulf region in time for the next IFI General Assembly that will be held in Singapore in 2009.

Part of APID's aim is to provide a platform for education and development within the design community by hosting public events comprising of workshops, seminars, exhibitions and lectures. Forthcoming events include the Walls and Floors Forum to be held on November 11 and the Safety in Design Seminar on December 6.