© UNESCO_City of Design Network
Famous for its 3,500 years of cultural history, Wuhan (China) joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in 2017 as a Creative City of Design. It is known for its expertise in resilient urban planning and high-tech industries and creative industries that are important pillars of the local economy.
Creative design is at the core of Wuhan’s cultural agenda. For example the large-scale Wuhan Design Biennale focuses on crosscutting approaches between art and technologies. The city has also effectively implemented a plan using its design potential to transform Wuhan, accelerate the development of creative industries and give new momentum to economic growth based on culture and innovation.
As the primary center of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wuhan has leveraged its design expertise towards the development of various innovative measure to reduce the spread of virus and strengthen the cooperation among Creative Cities.
Among the implemented measures, a global Call titled « Fight the Pandemic, Wuhan We Can » was launched on 1 February 2020, by the Wuhan Design Industry Promotion Centre in cooperation with Hubei Design Committee of Packaging Design and Wuhan Industrial Design Association. The Call is open to all and invites interested members, designers and others to share graphic design works that strengthen public knowledge of precautionary measures and build confidence in fighting COVID-19. The designs are welcomed in a wide range of formats: posters, illustrations, videos, children’s paintings and other digital works.
The Call has resulted in a great variety of works submitted from the 13 UNESCO Creative Cities in China and from cities from other countries (Afghanistan, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Serbia, Republic of Korea, Thailand and United States of America). These include over 5400 posters, 1200 illustrations, 431 children’s paintings, 170 videos and more than 130 other works.
Some of these posters and paintings have been installed in hospitals and other medical facilities to inspire people and spread a message of hope and solidarity.
A jury composed of charity organizations, medical experts, scholars in journalism, professors, designers and institutes will select the best works from amongst the creations. The organizers plan for the selected works to be presented during an award ceremony, displayed in an exhibition, and printed in a publication.