The Theme of the Contest
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is an agency of the United Nations whose mission is to advance “the defenses of peace in the minds of men.”

According to Design21 the theme of its poster contest is based upon UNESCO’s mission of embracing diversity and the appreciation of different cultures. The contest theme is about:

“…the vision and understanding of the “Rapprochement of Cultures” by designing posters that creatively emphasizes the importance of exchange and dialogue among and between cultures in ensuring social cohesion and harmonious coexistence.

For a full explanation of what the International Year of Rapprochement of Cultures is, go to the UNESCO website by clicking here.

The Contest Details
Design a poster that celebrates “2010 International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures.”

The poster design should be “international” in nature and not be specific to a country’s origin, culture, religion or region. The design may be created in more than one language but ideally be created with the language the graphic artist is most fluent in.

For a guide to the proper spelling of the included text for your poster and a placeholder graphic for positioning the official logos, click here.

The contest guidelines state:

* The final printed poster will be A1-sized (59.4 x 84.1 cm or 23.4 × 33.1 in). Although the online entry provisions do not allow for the full A1 dimensions, your entry must include at least one image showing the entire poster design scaled to A1 proportions.

* You must not include any logos on your design but instead use a placeholder. The final printed posters will include the UNESCO/UN logos + the official Logo of “2010, International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures”.

* The placeholder should be scaled to 9cm x 9cm relative to an A1 poster, and be positioned in the upper left hand corner of your poster.

For a full list of details regarding this contest, click here. For a full disclosure of the rules of this contest, click here.

The Awards
Thirty posters will be selected for printing and showcasing at UNESCO Headquarters during the International Festival of Cultural Diversity in May 2010.

An Overall Winner will receive a $2,000 cash prize plus an all expenses paid trip to attend the UNESCO poster exhibition in Paris.

Two Judge’s Pick winners will receive $500 each.

Judges will be basing their selections for winners according to the designer’s “…ability to graphically and visually communicate the message of Rapprochement of Cultures in a compelling and easy-to-understand way.”

Other Details
The deadline for this contest is March 9, 2010. The results will be announced on April 5, 2010. To enter this contest a free account must be opened at Design21. Click here to open your account.