Conclusion of Rog Design Days: Community, solidarity, and the power of taking action

This year’s festival had several highlights. The discussions of the seven Rog Forum panels reflected local specificities, while also reaffirming that the future lies in mutual learning and knowledge exchange. Below, we highlight some thoughts from this year’s guests. The dates for next year’s festival are also set: the third edition of Rog Design Days will take place from November 23 to 27, 2026.

Think globally, act locally: lessons from Rog Forum

“I see new ways of organizing and managing among young people in Serbia. The discussions we had these days addressed these new circumstances comprehensively and were very inspiring for me in this regard,” said Maja Lalić, founder of the creative platform and festival Mikser from Belgrade, who participated in Friday’s discussion on design for solidarity.

“Empowering people and communities comes from taking action,” emphasized renowned Belgian designer Annelys De Vet, co-founder of the platform Designing for Palestine: “When people create with their own hands, it has a strong emancipatory effect. Spaces like Center Rog are crucial because they allow us to regain control over the creative process.”

At the discussion on community kitchens, Kim Lim, co-founder of the Malaysian social enterprise Picha Eats, shared her experiences. The company trains immigrants from over 40 countries as chefs and currently employs 25 people. She believes that community work requires three core elements: “Empathy—understanding the diversity of our lives; patience, because we live in an era of instant gratification; and resilience, which immigrant communities undoubtedly possess and which we must support.”

Amid rising real estate prices in urban areas, the discussion on alternatives to community ownership in rural spaces was also highly relevant. “When activating communities, it is crucial to focus on the challenges immediately in front of them. Only in this way do projects truly reflect what people need, giving them a sense of purpose and allowing them to co-create decisions,” summarized Josh Doble from Community Land Scotland, where he advocates for broader understanding of community ownership benefits and the need for further land reforms at national and regional levels in Scotland.

Rog Creathon: from waste to wonder

During the festival, a connected community of 25 young designers from 14 countries formed and, in a 48-hour Rog Creathon design sprint, developed their ideas into final projects in five teams with the guidance of mentors. The winning team, Bio Fabrication: From waste to wonder, explored the potential of discarded food as a material for production in the FabLab, Green Lab, and Ceramics Lab. Their mentor, American designer and architect Virginia San Fratello, said: “Among the materials I use in my work are forest fire ashes or iron from a more than 1,000 km-long wall on the US-Mexico border. For me, thinking about the origin of materials and the message we convey by using them is extremely valuable. This awareness is exactly what I wanted to pass on to these young people.” All five projects from Rog Creathon are also on display at Rog Expo.

Rog Expo: from wooden objects to fungal biocomposites

Curated by Alja Fir and Anja Radović, the exhibition brings together 33 works by 58 creators, showcasing a wide range of products—from wooden and metal objects to fungal biocomposites and textile experiments. Rog Expo is unique in combining both professional designers and hobbyist makers, all of whom developed and produced their works at Center Rog. In the culinary, ceramics, glass, and textile labs, a community table was also created—a truly unique piece that was available for viewing and tasting only at the opening.

All other works will be on display until February 7, 2026. A supporting program will run alongside Rog Expo, with updates published on the website. Guided tours are scheduled for: Saturday, November 29, 2025, at 11:00; Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at 17:00; Saturday, December 6, 2025, at 11:00; Saturday, December 27, 2025, at 11:00; Saturday, January 31, 2026; and Saturday, February 7, 2026, at 11:00. Admission is free.

Photo: Tine Lisjak