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| Tuesday, November 19, 2002 17:06 EST |
Smiling faces welcoming world to big party
[Reuters]
GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany -- Germany unveiled
the official logo and slogan for the World Cup finals on Tuesday
emphasizing its wish that the world should have fun in 2006.
The official logo for the 2006 World Cup. |
Three laughing characters in colored circles depicting 006
invite the world to a party on the logo that was presented at a
ceremony at the Gelsenkirchen stadium, home to German Cup
holders Schalke 04.
The three cheerful faces grouped around the World Cup trophy
should be referred to as the Celebrating Faces of Football and
make clear that Germany will be in celebratory mood, said World
Cup organizing committee president Franz Beckenbauer.
"We want to welcome fans around the world as friends in 2006
and celebrate a unique World Cup in Germany," said the former
World Cup-winning captain and coach, whose charisma and
influence were instrumental in bringing the tournament to the
country whose team he once graced.
"We believe that the new emblem perfectly expresses our
philosophy of having a buoyant, cheerful and carefree tournament
in 2006," he added.
"Everybody knows that we're good at organizing but we wanted
to convey an other, warmer and friendlier image of Germany."
The slogan, Die Welt zu Gast bei Freunden (Friends invite
the world), also aims at painting Germany as a welcoming place
and promises the world it will feel at home there.
"The slogan links our openness to the world and football,"
said Wolfgang Niersbach, organizing committee vice-president in
charge of communications. "The logo is uncommon, funny and
emotional."
London-based agency Whitestone and Munich-based firm abold
had worked on the emblem since September last year, eventually
rejecting a bowl-shaped fish in favor of the laughing figures.
"Our goal was to convey, via a symbol, the incomparable
emotions that can only be evoked by football," said abold head
Andreas Abold.
The launch took place at the stadium where Germany will play
the Netherlands in a friendly international on Wednesday -- a
rematch of the 1974 final won 2-1 by West Germany in Munich.
Germany's national team players were present as well as FIFA
president Sepp Blatter and German Interior minister Otto Schily.
"We couldn't have chosen a better moment for this," said
Niersbach.
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