"Brotherhood and Equality to All People" (1963) by Viktor Borisovich Koretsky emerges at a pivotal moment in Soviet cultural diplomacy. Created at a time when worldwide civil rights movements and decolonisation efforts dominated international headlines, this poster represents the Soviet Union's attempts to position itself as a champion of racial harmony.

The composition is masterfully balanced through stark visual contrasts and symbolic elements. Two giant hands—one black, one white—emerge from the bottom of the frame, each cradling a child of the opposite colour. The children reach toward each other across the central divide, their bodies creating dynamic diagonal lines that energise the composition. Koretsky employs a deliberately limited palette, working primarily in blacks and whites against a cool grey background.

Through cultural exchanges and support for liberation movements across Africa and Asia, the Soviet Union actively promoted itself as an alternative to Western colonial powers.The work achieves its propagandistic aims through visual metaphor and masterful technical execution. The contrasting hands cradling differently coloured children who reach towards each other perfectly embodies the Soviet Union's message of international brotherhood and racial harmony. This imagery directly supported the USSR's broader diplomatic initiatives, including the World Festival of Youth and Students, which brought together thousands of young people from over 130 countries to promote peace and socialism. The poster's message of unity and equality aligned with Soviet support for liberation movements in Angola and Mozambique, as well as their criticism of American segregation policies, positioning the USSR as a leader in the fight against racial discrimination.

Viktor Borisovich Koretsky (1909-1998) created approximately seven hundred works throughout his career. He was recognised as an Honoured Artist of the Russian SFSR in 1964. As a founding member of AgitPlakat and a long-serving member of the editorial board at Reklamfilm. His works are held in major collections including the Russian State Library, State Historical Museum, and the State Museum of Political History of Russia.