UN@80: Bamboo and Corn – A vision of peace between China and Latin America

Editor's Note: This article is contributed by Mercedes Fernandez, a PhD student from Mexico at the Communication University of China (CUC). It is her submission to "One Home: Shared Future," a global youth campaign launched by CGTN to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the United Nations. The campaign invites young people from around the world to share stories, photos and videos highlighting issues they believe must shape the planet's future.

In celebration of the United Nations' 80th anniversary, Mercedes Fernandez, a Mexican PhD student at the Communication University of China, created a poster titled "Bamboo and Corn: A Shared Vision of Peace Between China and Latin America."

Stylized versions of a bamboo shoot and a corn plant become symbols of cooperation between China and Latin America in Fernandez's artwork. The bamboo stands as shorthand for China's peaceful international stance, resilience and wisdom, while corn, native to Mexico, serves as a symbol of cultural identity, abundance and hope for Latin America. The poster also features short statements on education, social justice and equity, purposeful innovation, and peaceful ecology as a means to expound on the concept of cooperation between the two sides. 

By uniting these two emblems, the poster conveys a powerful message: amidst growing global inequality and a worsening climate crisis, China and Latin America can build a peaceful and sustainable future on a bedrock of educational equity and social justice driven by human-centered innovation. The work serves as both a tribute to the UN's 80th anniversary and a vibrant illustration of the potential of China-Latin America collaboration.