EDUCATION FOR PEACE .
An article from The Government of Mexico (translation by CPNN)
With representation from 80 countries, the 19th International Poster Biennial in Mexico (BICM) will hold its central days from October 22 to 25, 2026, within the framework of the 19th Art & Culture of Peace Festival, which will bring together exhibitions, conferences, workshops, music and film in different spaces in Mexico City.
The Ministry of Culture of the Government of Mexico supports this edition through the Support for Cultural and Artistic Festivals (Profest) program, and it is part of the National Circuit of Festivals for Peace. Its venues include the Library of Mexico, the Vasconcelos Library, and the Digital Culture Center (CCD).
During the program’s presentation at the Multipurpose Forum of the Library of Mexico, the director of the BICM, Javier Bermúdez, pointed out that the culture of peace, the central theme of this edition, continues the reflection that the Biennial has maintained since 1990: ecology, justice, inclusion, tolerance, and respect. “For us, this theme of a culture of peace is not just a slogan,” he stated.
The awards ceremony and opening of the 19th BICM will take place on October 22nd at the Library of Mexico, featuring an exhibition of the finalist works. The proposals employ diverse graphic languages and present the poster as a space for dialogue and collective reflection.
The Vasconcelos Library is hosting nine keynote lectures and ten workshops, selected through a portfolio review process, from over 200 students across Mexico. The program will feature prominent figures in design and illustration, including Isidro Ferrer, Craig Frazier, Byoung-Il Sun, Annik Troxler, Karine Savard, Alejandro Magallanes, Eduardo Terrazas, and Yuko Shimizu.
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(Click here for the original Spanish version of this article.)
Do the arts create a basis for a culture of peace?
Is there progress towards a culture of peace in Mexico?
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From October 24 to November 9, the Digital Culture Center will present Drawing Peace: 100 Latin American and Caribbean posters, with graphic proposals focused on coexistence, rights, justice, solidarity, and social transformation.
Poland, a historical benchmark for poster biennials, will be present with the exhibition Mazovia, Poland–Mexico City, Mexico: Ties of Friendship. The program also includes collaborations with Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.
As part of the commemoration of 200 years of diplomatic relations between Mexico and France, the Museum of Foreign Affairs will present, from October 16 to November 27, “Mexico and France, 200 Years of Friendship: Visual Letters Sent from One Shore to the Other,” an exhibition in which artists from both countries reinterpret cultural references from the other.
Veracruz, guest of honor
Veracruz will participate as guest of honor with music, film, puppetry, visual arts, and design. The event includes a showcase from the Veracruz Film Archive, activities for children, and graphic design projects by national and international artists.
On October 22, the Esperanza Iris City Theater will host Jarocho Son, featuring Son de Madera, Son Ellas and guest artists, in a dialogue between Veracruz musical tradition and contemporary languages.
Flamenco dancer and choreographer Ericka Suárez, representative of Jarocho SON, explained that the project combines son jarocho and traditions from the Sotavento and Huasteca regions with jazz, flamenco, and other contemporary expressions. “An exploration of our past to design the future of our music,” she said.
On October 25, the Xalapa Symphony Orchestra of the Veracruzana University, under the direction of Martin Lebel, will close the Festival at the Esperanza Iris City Theater. The program will include Mexico City, by Mexican composer Diana Syrse, and Symphony No. 5 by Gustav Mahler.
Founded in 1990, the International Poster Biennial in Mexico is a platform for exchange around graphic design and visual culture, and a space to reflect on social issues through posters.
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