From February 10 to 25, 2026, the IAI Global Design Award 20th Anniversary · Eurasian Silk Road Tour came to a successful conclusion.

Mr. Oskar Ho, Founder of the IAI Global Design Award and Chairman of the Asia Pacific Designers Federation (APDF), embarked on a 15-day solo journey across 6 countries and 5 capitals, completing an in-depth international design exchange tour spanning the Eurasian continent. With design as the bond and culture as the bridge, the journey officially inaugurated a new chapter in the IAI 20th Anniversary global dialogue.

The tour covered six cities: Doha, Berlin, Prague, Amsterdam, Milan, and Tashkent. Among them, Berlin and Milan are both designated "World Design Capitals" by UNESCO, serving as benchmark cities in the global creative design sector. During the trip, Mr. Oskar Ho visited iconic art museums, historical landmarks and creative spaces, including the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, design and cultural landmarks in Berlin, national art and architecture institutions in Prague, modern art and design centers in Amsterdam, the Royal Palace of Milan and top art and design institutions, as well as ancient Silk Road cultural landmarks in Tashkent. Experiencing civilizations on foot and understanding design through observation, the Silk Road tour achieved both professional depth and humanistic richness.

Centered on professional dialogue, international cooperation and cultural exchange, the journey enhanced the global influence and humanistic warmth of the IAI 20th Anniversary milestone through a series of high-level meetings and appointment ceremonies.

Prague: Paying Tribute to a Legendary Design Master

Appointment of Eva Jiricna as Honorary Chairman of the IAI 20th Anniversary Advisory Board

In Prague, Czech Republic, Mr. Oskar Ho paid a special visit to Ms. Eva Jiricna, a legendary figure in international design and Czech national treasure designer, and held in-depth talks and an exclusive interview at her studio. Ms. Eva Jiricna graciously accepted the invitation to serve as Honorary Chairman of the IAI 20th Anniversary Advisory Board.

On site, Mr. Oskar Ho presented the appointment letter to Ms. Jiricna, along with Chinese knots, Spring Festival couplets and oriental cultural gifts. The two posed for a photo holding the couplets together, capturing a precious moment of cultural exchange between Eastern and Western design.

During his stay, Mr. Ho also visited Studio Najbrt, a top Czech design studio. The two sides held in-depth discussions on regional design ecology, visual creativity trends and future cooperation, further expanding IAI’s cooperation network in Central and Eastern Europe.

Amsterdam: Celebrating Chinese New Year’s Day with Friendship

Presentation of Jury Certificate to Mr. Kess, Co-Chair of APDF Europe

On the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, Mr. Oskar Ho met warmly with Mr. Kess, core juror of the IAI Jury and Co-Chair of APDF Europe, and his wife in Amsterdam, and was invited to celebrate the Spring Festival together. They posted Spring Festival couplets and recorded New Year greetings, spreading a strong Chinese New Year atmosphere in a foreign land.

During the visit, Mr. Oskar Ho formally presented the IAI Core Jury Certificate to Mr. Kess, and conducted in-depth discussions on professional topics including social design and future design evaluation systems. From family gatherings to professional dialogues, this cross-border friendship embodied the trusted and collaborative partnership between IAI and its international jurors.

Milan: Celebrating Chinese New Year with the Art Director of the Royal Palace

Appointment of Dalia Gallico as Juror for the IAI 20th Anniversary Special Season

In Milan, Italy, Mr. Oskar Ho met with Ms. Dalia Gallico, his long-term partner, Art Director of the Royal Palace of Milan and Chairperson of the Rome San Raffaele Academy of Fashion and Design. Ms. Dalia Gallico warmly invited Mr. Ho to a home dinner to celebrate the Chinese Spring Festival.

During the dinner, Mr. Oskar Ho formally presented Ms. Gallico with the Juror Certificate for the IAI 20th Anniversary Special Season. They posted Spring Festival couplets, toasted to the New Year, and exchanged in-depth views on international design exhibitions, academic cooperation and creative industry development, witnessing the long-standing and stable cooperation between IAI and its core European partners.

The Netherlands: Exploring the Frontier of Wellness Design & Dialogues with World-Class Design Institutions

During his stay in the Netherlands, Mr.Oskar Ho also met with the Studio id+ team specializing in wellness design, holding a symposium on design innovation against the backdrop of an aging society. He visited the Design Academy Eindhoven, a world-renowned design school, and reached preliminary intentions for future international design education cooperation, continuously expanding IAI’s global academic and industrial landscape.

Culture Going Global: Eastern Aesthetics Shines on the World Design Stage

Coinciding with the Chinese Spring Festival, cultural elements such as Chinese knots, hand-written Spring Festival couplets and oriental cultural gifts were presented across the six Eurasian cities. From the master studio in Prague to the juror’s home in Amsterdam and the art director’s dinner in Milan, Eastern culture entered the core circle of international design naturally, warmly and ceremoniously through design, realizing truly in-depth and heartfelt cultural communication.

Echo of the Silk Road: Connecting the World through Design

For the World, For the Future

From the Middle Eastern Silk Road hub to European design capitals, from ancient Central Asian civilizations to the global creative frontier, the 15-day solo journey marked not only the international prelude to IAI’s 20th anniversary, but also a contemporary continuation of the spirit of mutual learning among civilizations along the ancient Silk Road.

As a highly influential global design award, the IAI Global Design Award has been committed to promoting international design exchange, cultural integration and industrial innovation over the past two decades. In the future, IAI will continue to join hands with international platforms such as the Asia Pacific Designers Federation (APDF) to connect the world through design, define excellence with culture, empower Chinese design to go global, and stride forward for the world and for the future.