The 40 winning projects of the 2023 edition of Posterheroes, “Beautifully Diverse”, dedicated to the concept of disability, will be exhibited in New York at the United Nations Secretariat Building from September 16 to 27. This is a significant milestone, not only due to the prestige of the venue hosting the exhibition, but also for the alignment of purpose.

Posterheroes was launched in 2010 as an invitation to the international creative community to express a social message through a 70×100 cm poster, aimed at fostering debate on issues of collective interest. Over the past thirteen years, Posterheroes has received more than 20,000 posters from all over the world and engaged 110 international experts in illustration, arts, and visual communication, who, as jury members, selected the winning posters.

The 2023 edition of the competition sought to promote a culture of diversity free from stereotypes, highlighting authentic and transformative narratives while challenging dominant discourses on these topics. It reflects on the concepts of normalcy and social justice.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) affirms that disability results from the interaction between individual characteristics and the surrounding environment. Both material barriers, such as broken elevators, and intangible barriers, such as stigma and discrimination, can limit one’s freedom and ability to act. Addressing this issue effectively requires collective action and shared responsibility, alongside a cultural shift away from a focus solely on high-performing bodies and minds, towards valuing human diversity.

The initiative is promoted by the Cultural Association Plug, Favini,  ITCILO International Training Centre and Fondazione Time2.

The thirteenth edition, entitled “Making Mistakes,” is currently underway.