Now in its sixth year, Design Week Shanghai 2008 Conference & Expo (DWS) is proactively raising funds for the Sichuan Disaster Relief Charity, by calling upon responsible design industry leaders, top celebrity friends and the elite community for the June 11 VIP Charity Auction Dinner, at the Radisson Century Hotel Pudong.

"As you would know, the VIP Charity Auction Dinner on June 11 was originally in aid of university students' fees," says David Zhong, CEO VNU Exhibitions Asia. "However, due to the earthquake, which destroyed so many buildings and took so many valuable lives, we are now focussing on giving much needed help to Sichuan Province.

"The money collected at this event will design and build a school with earthquake resistance, as well as an orphanage with comfort and safety."

Throughout this very stressful time, VNU Design Week Shanghai 2008 (DWS) received many calls from Chinese, as well as international, architects and designers saying that they were raising a proposal to donate money, resources and their professional knowledge to assist in the rebuilding of Sichuan.

"Architecture is the art of living, with human beings involved. After further discussion, we all joined forces to create and realize this very meaningful project within our DWS Charity event," says Zhong.

All donations of personal objets d'art are welcome. The charity night will consist of a public auction and a silent auction, the sale of charity raffle books, and a ‘Future-Design-a-Recycle-Chair' Competition sponsored by The Fair, Frame and Interior Design China magazines.

DWS 2008 Conference and DWS 2008 Expo are organized by VNU Exhibitions Asia, which attracts about 10,000 professionals, who travel to China to provide a platform for timely products, services, trend-setting design information and networking opportunities. They also attempt to get an insight into what's next in terms of trends, designs and products in China's rapidly developing architecture and design market.

DWS 2008 Conference runs for 2 days, with authoritative international and Chinese designers, architects and developers sharing their knowledge in an effort to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions.