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COMPETITION ANNOUNCEMENT
The Permanent Forum on People of African Descent is looking for a visual identity!
As a newly established mechanism, the Permanent Forum is in the process of getting recognition and establishing its presence. This competition invites for the creation of a logo that will serve as both a distinctive symbol for the Permanent Forum and a reflection of the aspirations and essence of the people it represents. It provides an opportunity for artists from Africa and the diaspora to contribute to the design of its logo and for people of African descent to be involved in the decision-making process, ensuring that their voices are heard, their perspectives are valued, and a sense of ownership and inclusivity is fostered. Through this competition, we celebrate diversity, ultimately strengthening the collective efforts of all stakeholders in promoting and honoring the recognition of people of African descent and their contributions to society.
COMPETITION GUIDELINES
Conditions of participation
The competition is opened to participants from all ages and nationalities, that are Africans or identify as people of African descent.
Submission of proposals
The proposals should be sent by 1st November 2024 to the Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent at pfpad@un.org
Each submission should include the name, age, nationality of the author, an explanation of the visual, and the visual itself in the format prescribed below.
Format prescribed
- Be submitted in vector format preferably (.ai,.svg or .eps). If the participant cannot submit it in vector format, a transparent TIF of the file in high quality must be sent (a minimum of 2500px).
- If the visual includes colours (a limited color palette is recommended), please also submit a single ink version. Please keep in mind that the file will be printed on different media and materials.
- The design should be scalable, as it will be used at a wide range of sizes.
- The Font used must support non-Latin alphabet, as the logo will be used in communications in all United Nations official languages, namely: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish. For this purpose, the contestant may use the brand font of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Futura Std for the design, which would make the translation of the logo easier. The contestant can propose different layouts for using the type on the design, taking into account that the design needs to work in the other UN languages (the logo concept must still work when flipped for Arabic).
Please do not the UN emblem in your designs, including portions of the UN emblem.
Intellectual property rights
By entering this competition, each participant certifies that they are the sole copyright-holder of all submitted material and they are original to him/her/them. The winning design will become sole property of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, and it will be authorized to use, edit, alter, copy, exhibit, reproduce, adapt, publish or distribute and redistribute the material in full or in part for the purposes of publicizing or for any other lawful purpose and communicate to the public, worldwide, in any language in printed and electronic format, the whole or any part of the submitted visual identity package. In addition, the participant waives the right to inspect or approve any finished products, whether in written or electronic form. The winner waives any right to royalties, payment or other consideration arising from or related to the use of the visual identity package.
Selection criteria
Contestants and their submissions will be judged on their originality, creativity, quality, and relevance to the themes addressed by the Permanent Forum. The choice will be made according to the discretion of the judges.
To learn more about the Permanent Forum’s work and the various issues and themes it addresses, please visit its webpage.
Awards
The winner will be announced at the end of the year. The winner will be contacted before the announcement. The winner will receive:
- An all-expenses paid trip to New York to participate in the 4th session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent taking place from 14 to 17 April 2025. The winner will also be presented during the opening ceremony of the 4th session.
- Support the organization of an art exhibition during the session (provided that the winner has a portfolio that could be showcased in line with relevant UN policies)
THE JURY
June Soomer
June Soomer is the Chairperson of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent. She has been the first woman to receive a PhD in History from the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, the first woman to serve as the Saint Lucian Ambassador to CARICOM, the OECS and Diaspora Affairs; an OECS Commissioner; the Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States (2016 -2020) and Chair of the Open Campus Council of the University of the West Indies. She has served on many national and regional committees and has received numerous awards, including most recently The Order of José de Marcoleta in the Degree of Grand Cross from the Republic of Nicaragua in the area of diplomacy, August 2021; and the Saint Lucia Cross for distinguished service in the fields of Education, Diplomacy, Regionalism and Development Specialty, February 2021. She is a member of the Saint Lucia Reparations Committee. She writes on regional integration, reparations and on women during enslavement.
Rockyath Adechoubou
Rockyath Adechoubou is a catalyst for innovation, seamlessly blending entrepreneurship, content strategy, and sustainability advocacy into a career that defies convention. With roots and experience spanning Africa—from the vibrant streets of Dakar to the cultural richness of Johannesburg—Rockyath has also made her mark in global hubs like New York, Tokyo, and Melbourne. This diverse international exposure enriches her work in politics, art curation, and non-profit leadership with a unique, cross-cultural perspective that few can rival.
As a curator, Rockyath doesn’t just organize exhibitions—she creates transformative experiences that transcend borders and ignite social change. Through her work as the founder of Auction for Change, she channels the power of art and community to drive social initiatives that empower both individuals and businesses to embrace change and innovation. Her journey is driven by relentless passion and purpose, inspiring others to challenge the status quo in the pursuit of a better world.
Babatunde ‘TRIBE’ Akande
Babatunde ‘TRIBE’ Akande, (b.2001) is a nonbinary multidisciplinary artist and Creative Expressionist known for their proficiency in drawing /painting, sculpting, augmented reality (AR) installation, performance, sound, photography and experimental / documentary films in Lagos, Nigeria. They use these mediums to craft multisensory immersive experiences with the intention to evoke emotions and questioning. They are dedicated to extensive research, experiments, and ceaseless artistic exploration, they navigate the delicate balance between tradition and liberation within the sacred intimacy and complexities of home. The delicate balance between tradition and liberation within the sacred intimacy and complexities of identity. Exploring the intersections of social injustice, community and identity, gender equality, queerness, indigenous ancestry, environmental sustainability, and human connectivity is a hallmark of their diverse artistic practice.
Babatunde Tribe's journey has transformed into a powerful platform for advocacy and social change. Their work is characterized by a thought-provoking blend of personal narrative, social commentary, and a dedication to exploring themes of intersectionality and minority rights. Notable exhibitions featuring Babatunde’s work include "Lit Fest" at Didi Museum in Lagos, Nigeria, the "Nature + Nurture" Virtual Group Exhibition in Atlanta, GA, "Good Times" Group Exhibition at TheGalleryATX in Austin, TX, USA, and "Fluid" by Kenga Digital and Arrai.Atlas in Nairobi, Kenya. Babatunde's art has also been showcased at the International Art Contest for Minority Artists Exhibition at OHCHR, United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, where they were awarded as the winner for the International Minority Art Contest, 2023. Babatunde Tribe has participated in various international events such as the "Escape In/Out" by Follow Art fair in Milan, Italy (2023), presentations at the Center for Arts of the International School of Geneva, and workshops on Minority Rights, Arts, and Advocacy facilitated by Minority Rights Group International and OHCHR.
Cierra Brinson
Cierra Brinson is a photographer, hand letterer and award-winning graphic designer. She has worked as an professional graphic designer for five years with a multitude of experience in layout design, event design, brand design, social media design and much more! In addition to graphic design, she shoots photography with an emphasis on portraiture and works on perfecting her signature hand-lettering style. When she’s not designing, she’s either picking up a new hobby or listening to music! She is an Alabama native currently living in Montgomery, AL.
Brendon Reis
Brendon Reis, born in Salvador - Bahia, in 1996, is a self-taught visual artist. He lives and works in São Paulo (SP), Brazil. In his work, Brendon Reis seeks to emphasize blackness, sexuality and intimacy, in addition to the symbolic dilemmas involved in the multiple ways of giving meaning to what is understood as “existence”. This concept of existence in Brendon's work occurs through the creation of ambivalent constitutive spaces, that is, sometimes common and sometimes surreal, where he delicately explores the concepts of “natural” and “supernatural” to give new textures and different realities to figures - black, queer, dissident narratives. His main media are painting and sculpture. The themes most present in his research involve subjective and intersubjective contradictions, such as perception and the imaginary, the spectacular and the ordinary, the secret and the enlightened. Through a dual journey between abstractionism and figurativism, Brendon Reis seeks to create an imaginary that references the symbolism of visible and sentimental things, in addition to the subject's relationship with space - time, especially to work with themes that are transversal to his experience, some of them being intimacy, melancholy, sexuality, the body, identity, homosexuality and affirmation.
Kim Thompson
Kim Thompson is a multi-disciplinary Black British artist, specialising in commercial illustration and contemporary painting. Her commercial work has led to collaboration with clients such as Converse, Columbia, Records, Diageo and Penguin Random House.
Now in the first few years of her contemporary practice, Kim has exhibited with The Saatchi Gallery, winning the Robert Walters UKNA 'New Artist of the Year' Runner Up Prize (2023). Kim's first solo portraiture collection, 'Water Into Wine', is currently on view at New Art Exchange, a contemporary gallery in Nottingham, UK.
United Nations Department of Global Communications
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