Facing coopetition, uncertainty and complexity, we need a creative mindset and new knowledge for growth, competitiveness and sustained development. Design is beyond aesthetics. Design with a big capital letter "D" presents an attitude, innovative thinking, creative confidence and a people-centric approach towards problem solving for betterment of our city and economic and social wellbeing. Asia has become one of the world's most important economic regions, with enormous potential in terms of its consumer market. The vast geographical reach of Asia encompasses a diverse spectrum of unique lifestyles, cultural heritage and socio-economic development. Design plays an increasingly vital role in offering solutions to challenges that arise from our everyday life. In 2003, the Hong Kong Design Centre launched the DFA Awards to underpin the role of designers in society and to celebrate design leadership and exemplary designs and projects with commercial success and impact in Asia, as well as to recognize the rising force of emerging designers in Hong Kong since 2005. Stepping into its seventeenth year, the DFA Awards has grown its international influence in Asia with the following five award programs: DFA Lifetime Achievement Award, DFA Design Leadership Award, DFA World's Outstanding Chinese Designer, DFA Design for Asia Awards and DFA Hong Kong Young Design Talent Award.