.- Brazil's coastline, its Sugarloaf Mountain, and the iconic “Christ the Redeemer” statue are all part of the logo World Youth Day unveiled Feb. 7 for its 2013 celebration in Rio de Janeiro.
“In the faith of the nations the heart has a major role,” World Youth Day said in a note explaining the heart-shaped logo.
It represents Brazil's welcome to the world “as a nation of generous heart and hospitable people,” while also conveying the faith of “the disciples who carry Jesus in their hearts”
Excitement surrounded the unveiling of the 2013 World Youth Day logo, which took place at an event hosted by Rio de Janeiro's Archbishop Orani João Tempesta.
Social media lit up on Tuesday with discussion of the image, as the Twitter hashtag “#logoJMJ” made the network's list of trending topics among Brazilians for several hours.
A 25-year-old Brazilian man, Gustavo Huguenin, submitted the winning logo design in a contest held by organizers of the international Catholic gathering, which will take place July 23-28, 2013.
In his design, geographical and religiously-themed elements come together to form a heart, arranged around Christ's image taken from Brazil's internationally-known statue.
Its top half incorporates the outline of Sugarloaf Mountain, the peak overlooking Rio de Janeiro on Brazil's southeastern coast. World Youth Day's traditional “pilgrim cross” is superimposed on the mountain.
Meanwhile, the lower right half of the heart shape combines with the right side of Christ's image to form the shape of Brazil's coastline. The logo shares the green, blue, and yellow color scheme of the country's flag.
