Poster for Tomorrow Competition: Death is Not Justice

4tomorrow is an independent, non-profit organisation based in Paris, with its activities focused on Poster for Tomorrow, an international project to promote active citizenship through the medium of design. It works to encourage people, both those in and outside the design community, to make posters to stimulate debate in the local and international communities on issues that affect us all. This began with last year's competition drawing attention to the repression of freedom of expression. I've included a few of my picks below and you can browse a gallery of the best 100 entries.

This year the theme is the death penalty, with the brief stating in part that, "We want universal abolition of the death penalty in 2010. It’s simple. The death penalty is a violation of human rights. Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: 'No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.' How does that fit with beheading, stoning, hanging, lethally injecting or shooting someone?" Hard to argue with that.

Participants are invited to make a poster with the potential to be exhibited around the world on October 10, 2010, the World and European Day Against the Death Penalty. That day Poster for Tomorrow will ambitiously hold 100 exhibitions in 100 cities of submitted posters calling for universal abolition of the death penalty. The organization is working with Amnesty International, the Council of Europe, Reporters Without Borders and the World Coalition Against The Death Penalty, to raise awareness of this cause. The final posters will be chosen by a jury of 12 graphic designers from around the world, including Michel Bouvet, Kiko Farkas, Ahn Sang Soo and Lucille Tenazas. The deadline for submissions is July 18, 2010, with more information available on the Poster for Tomorrow site.

My picks after the jump.

Freedom for words Gregory Drobny. Krzyzanowice, Poland

Unveil my pain Massimo Rinaldi, Davide Bacchilega. Correggio, Italy

Trapped Etienne Beaudoin-Vles. Montreal, Canada

Pen Tomaso Marcolla. Lavis, Italy

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Chris Dickman
Founding Editor, Graphics.com