Vilnius (Lithuania) - The Lithuanian Graphic Design Association (LGDA) and Icograda have unveiled the preliminary list of speakers for Spring: Icograda Design Week in Vilnius 2011, taking place from 9-13 May. Space is limited, so be sure to register soon!

Frankfurt (Germany) - Erik Spiekermann is this year's recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany. The award was presented at a ceremony in Frankfurt on 11 February.

La Habana (Cuba) - Testimonios del Diseño Gráfico Cubano 1959 - 1974, a new overview of Cuban graphic design by Héctor Villaverde, was launched on Sunday, 13 February at the International Book Fair in La Habana, Cuba.

London (United Kingdom) - The Design Council and CABE (Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment) have confirmed that they are to merge key design activities from 1 April, following an agreement reached by the two bodies and government.

Washington, D.C. (United States) - SEGD (the Society for Environmental Graphic Design) will convene its 2011 Conference+Expo+Awards in diverse and design-centric Montreal, Canada, the only North American city designated a UNESCO City of Design.

New York (United States) - This summer, SVA (School of Visual Arts) will host two Design History, Theory and Practice Masters workshops, one in Venice and one in Rome, the birthplace of Western typographic tradition.

Brussels (Belgium) - This March, the Flemish Parliament will host the SEE (Sharing Experience Europe) project final event. This conference is SEE's final event and aims to provide delegates with an overview of design's role in innovation, recent design policy developments in Europe, examples of successful design policies and promotion programmes.

Montreal (Canada) - The inaugural IDA Congress will be a unique gathering of thought leadership exploring the intersection between design and five key sectors of global relevance: economic development, the Internet, biotechnology, urbanism and international migration. More than 3000 delegates are expected to gather from 24-26 October 2011 at the Taipei International Convention Center (TICC).

Tokyo (Japan) - From 4 February - 6 March 2011, 85 JAGDA members will present 30-second motion graphics pieces utilising the same sound source in the exhibition ROMANCE. This exhibition presents a kind of visual poetry on the theme of romance, or lovemaking, one born of the special evolution of communication experienced in Japan in 2010.

Melbourne (Australia) - In one of his first official duties as the new DIA National President, Oliver Kratzer FDIA, announced three new Victorian inductees into the DIA Hall of Fame late last year.