ColourProfessionals in België

De oprichting van ICA-Belgium. De eerste kleurenassociatie van België. Een speech voor de opening van het eerste symposium in 2017.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE: THE BIRTH OF ICA-BELGIUM

We are together here on the international day of colour. Does anyone know why
this day is on the 21st of March and who came up with the idea? 21 of March is
the day that night and day are about equally long and was founded by the AIC
to encourage events in the field of colour.

Welcome to the first symposium of the Interdisciplinary Colour Association
Belgium, short ICA-Belgium. ICA is brand new association and we are glad you
came to celebrate its birth with us. Also a very special welcome to our speakers
of today.

About a year ago we started talking about the foundation of a colour association
for Belgium with the goal to provide a platform for everyone involved in the
world of colour. ICA wants to be, interdisciplinary and encourage colour
research, colour education, collaboration and this in the field of science, art,
design, consultancy, education and industry.

Our second goal, is to become a member of the most prestigious, international
association in the field of Colour, AIC. The members of this international
association are formed by 27 countries throughout the world. We want to make
Belgium number 28.

2015, at the meeting, of AIC in Tokyo, there was the question, to found a colour
association in Belgium. 2016, the foundation of ICA was mentioned for the
general assembly of AIC at the end of the meeting in Chili.
So now, two years later we have accomplished the first steps of ICA Belgium and ICA is
getting ready to walk to a full membership of the AIC and so Belgium will be a
regular member after the congress in South Korea, coming up oktober.

We started ICA with the three of us and since a few months we are with 4 board
members who I would like to introduce to you. Inez Michiels, Claire de Maere
and Filip Roscam.
All four of us are working in a different field of colour and are therefore very
interdisciplinary, like ICA-Belgium. We strongly, believe in the necessity of this
association. This interdisciplinary board is representative for what ICA is about.
Collaboration, education and research are the fundamentals of the platform ICA
wants to provide for everyone involved in the world of colour. We can learn so
much from each other.
Before I talked about the first steps ICA has taken and now ICA is ready to
grow. Growing bigger can not be done without good nurturing and help of the
people around it. We, the board, believe in the founding of ICA Belgium so
strongly, that we invested in the setup of ICA-Belgium by making the website,
the foundation, getting insurance and renting this room today. For the future
we are also looking for sponsors to help ICA, and to be the guardians in it’s
growth. Help ICA-Belgium to grow from small beginnings to it’s full potential.

I am going to end with a final question. We need your help. The plan is to
organise a symposium each year, to organise colourcafé’s, courses and study
groups. We are not looking for board members. We are looking for enthusiastic
people who can help us with one of these events, and maybe have some great
ideas on organizing different events, big or small, in the field of colour. If, after
today, you want to help, raise ICA to it’s full potential. Come and be part of the
most colorful family of Belgium.
Now it is time to listen to interesting lectures.
Thank you.