(ANS – Rome) – The Twenty Seventh General Chapter (GC27) now has a logo, chosen by the Rector Major from those sent to the Social Communications Department. The design, which is stylised, minimalist and modern, was produced by the Don Bosco Institute of Communication Arts (DBICA) in Chennai.

The day after the presentation of the GC27 theme, the Social Communications Department invited several graphic design centres in the Congregation to send proposals for a logo. Twenty nine designs arrived from ten centres or from individual graphic designers. A small committee selected a short list for the Rector Major. Don Chávez, who also asked to see the other designs at first hand, chose the one from DBICA in Chennai, in agreement with the Moderator of GC27, Don Francesco Cereda.

The elements making up the GC27 logo express various meanings. Don Bosco, surrounded by five young people (one for each continent), is pointing to a book which signifies both the Gospels and the text of the Constitutions, sources of the authenticity and radical approach of Salesian consecrated life. This alludes to the theme of the Chapter: Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel. This text, under further analysis, also represents the way forward in the six years after the publication of the Acts of the Chapter. The two colours, red and orange, represent the virtues of work and temperance.

“The chosen logo will help us to remember the way on which we must embark to celebrate the General Chapter,” the Rector Major pointed out. “It represents the steps we must take towards the celebration of an event which must involve each confrere and every local community.”

“I thank all those who responded to our request for proposed designs: all of them valued for their high professional standard,” said Don Filiberto González, General Councillor for Social Communications. “We ask you to accept it, use it, and respect it in accordance with the rules which fix and protect a logo.”

The centres involved were: Dosa (Spain), DBICA and IMAGE India (India) and the Valdocco School of Graphic Design (Italy); the invitation was also sent to Salesian and lay teachers of graphic design in France, Colombia, Italy, Ecuador and Brazil.

The logo is available in several languages in the GC27 section of sdb.org.

Published 28/5/2012