FIGHT FOR KINDNESS: FIVE CITIES, ONE GLOBAL MESSAGE TO CELEBRATE WORLD KINDNESS DAY / x Collab
On November 13, exhibitions open simultaneously in Budapest, Rome, Barcelona, Plovdiv and Bandung for the fifth edition of the international typographic poster campaign: 1,000+ posters from 83 countries, in 42 languages and scripts.
Florence, Italy, October 2026 – On November 13, World Kindness Day, Fight for Kindness, a project by TypeCampus sponsored by Zetafonts, launches its 2026 Global Exhibition Season with five simultaneous exhibitions in Budapest (Hungary), Rome (Italy), Barcelona (Spain), Plovdiv (Bulgaria) and Bandung (Indonesia). The opening marks the fifth edition of the international, non-profit initiative, which celebrates kindness through typography and visual communication as an act of resistance to the culture of arrogance and supremacy.
This year, the open call received more than 1,000 posters from 83 countries, in 42 different languages and scripts, bringing together diverse voices and cultures around a shared desire for positive social change. Following the simultaneous opening, the exhibition programme will continue in Pasadena (USA), Florence (Italy) and Putrajaya (Malaysia), with more venues to be announced.
Who is behind it
Fight for Kindness is a project by TypeCampus, the cultural hub dedicated to the culture of typography, and is sponsored by Zetafonts, the independent type foundry founded in Florence in 2001 by Cosimo Lorenzo Pancini, Francesco Canovaro and Debora Manetti. Together, they support a non-profit initiative connecting typography, graphic design and social responsibility.
Founded in 2022 by Debora Manetti, the project has grown from an open call into an international cultural platform encompassing exhibitions, educational initiatives, creative partnerships and annual publications. Each year, it celebrates World Kindness Day on November 13, using design to make kindness visible and encourage a wider conversation about the values that connect people.
Why kindness, now?
In a world increasingly marked by polarisation, conflict and confrontation, the project seeks to bring renewed cultural appeal to kindness, not as passive politeness, but as a conscious commitment to empathy, respect, inclusion, generosity and responsibility. Through typography and graphic design, the posters – coming from all around the world – invite audiences to pause, reflect and reconsider how they relate to one another and to the world around them.
“Kindness is not a weakness, but a force for change. Through design, individual voices can become a collective call for a more empathetic, inclusive and compassionate world. Because kindness is not just about being nice to each other. It’s something we must stand up for,” explains Debora Manetti, founder of Fight for Kindness and co-founder of Zetafonts.
Writing about the 2026 edition, We And The Color observed: “Fight for Kindness has quietly become one of the clearest data points we have on where visual communication is heading when nobody’s paying.”
International guests, one shared message
The 2026 edition features guest contributions from an outstanding international group of designers, artists and creative voices: the legendary Alan Kitching; Stephen Price from Stash Magazine; Stuart Watson from Nomad Studio; Stefano Cipolla, together with Emiliano Ponzi; An Chen; the iconic Armando Milani; the digital artist Rik Oostenbroek; Emmi Solomen; Marina Willer from Pentagram London; Silvana Amato; and Dan Matutina. The edition also welcomes back contributors Kinda Ghannoum, Ibrahim Zaki and Hala Al Afsaa, whose continued participation reflects the community and lasting connections fostered by the project.
Their work joins hundreds of posters submitted by participants worldwide, creating a dialogue between established practitioners and emerging voices, and demonstrating how design can transcend linguistic and cultural boundaries.
The exhibition season
Upcoming exhibitions:
🌍 Budapest, Hungary: House of Lucie November 13-27, hosted by Farmani Group November 13 at 19:00 · Opening event, on World Kindness Day
🌍 Rome, Italy: Betterpress Studio November 13-December 9 November 12 at 18:00 · Workshop on Analogic and Digital Typography November 13 at 18:00 · Opening event, on World Kindness Day
🌍 Plovdiv, Bulgaria: OP34.Gallery November 13-28, hosted by Nako Baev and Denitza Tchakarova November 13 at 19:00 · Opening, on World Kindness Day November 13 at 21:00 · Afterparty at Politico November 14 at 16:00 · Party in front of the gallery.
🌍 Barcelona, Spain: LCI Barcelona November 13-21 · Digital showcase Barcelona joins in online from World Kindness Day, so the posters can be seen from anywhere.
🌍 Bandung, Indonesia: EXP Exhibition × KMDGI 16 November 9–11, 2026 Hosted by Irpan Alfian, Nolla Studio The full calendar, with more cities, is still to come.
The full exhibition calendar, participating venues and event announcements will be continuously updated on the TypeCampus website and official social media channels.
Partners and recognitions
The 2026 edition is supported by an international network of creative organisations, design institutions, awards and media partners, including The One Club for Creativity, ADCE, OFFF Festival, PRINT, Slanted, Type Directors Club (TDC), Communication Arts, D&AD, Type01, ADCI, Indigo Award, House of Lucie, Posterheroes, People of Print, C2A and Typeroom, among others.
Fight for Kindness has won multiple awards and recognitions, including the Indigo Gold Award in Integrated Graphic Design for Social Change and Best of the Best in Social Responsibility at the C2A. It was also shortlisted in the Design for Good category of the Art Directors Club 102nd Award and selected in the ADI Design Index 2025 and Compasso d’Oro competition.
The project remains open to collaborations with cultural institutions, schools, galleries, design festivals and organisations interested in hosting an exhibition or contributing to the international programme.
