Valuing our cities and communities

World Cities Day is a worldwide UN Habitat social initiative that aims to promote interest in global urbanisation, encourage cooperation to address its challenges and contribute to sustainable urban development across the globe. With the slogan ‘Better City, Better Life,’ each year World Cities Day has a given theme that focuses on a specific area of urbanisation.

For the third year running, JWDK has been working with Shanghai’s Ministry of House and Urban-Rural Development as an ‘Official Public Partner,’ to deliver the important message of this initiative to the people of Shanghai through a series of campaigns. Under the theme of ‘Valuing our Communities and Cities,’ JWDK created a set of striking graphic posters that embody the positive changes that are being made to better the lives of urban citizens. 

01: ‘Re-energising urban communities’ demonstrates the importance of public spaces in our communities and how these are being upgraded throughout Shanghai with extra facilities such exercise equipment.

02: ‘Improving the lifeblood of our city’ highlights the important upgrades being made to the pipelines for water and gas which keep our cities functioning and clean.

03: ‘Breathing new life into urban streets’  shows how empty spaces are being transformed into green public space, bringing fresher air and helping urban citizens get closer to nature.

04:‘Regenerating the culture of our city’ highlights the culture shift China’s cities have experienced — old factories no longer produce pollution and have been uplifted to instead offer cultural and artistic spaces for citizens. 

This social campaign is on display publicly across Shanghai in celebration of World Cities Day on October 31 as hoarding, posters and flags over the highway. The design was also made into special limited-edition metro cards that are available for purchase by the general public. 

JWDK is proud to be an ongoing support and creative partner to the World Cities Day initiative, producing work that makes a positive social impact on the world around us!