Greece took over the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union on New Year's Day and will hold that position for the next six months. Each presidency has its own unique logo to help define the presidency and the Greek one was revealed in November.
Being the country in the eurozone with the most dire state economically, Greece has chosen to make austerity a theme running through all activities. This is also reflected in the presidency logo, a sailboat in a sea of blue. It was designed by a Greek agency called Beetroot.
Greece last held the EU presidency in 2003. Another time, economically, politically, and aesthetically.
From an official press release:
The Greek Presidency logo is austere and concise, extending a note of realistic optimism. It depicts a sailboat in full sail, formed by the initials of the European Union. It aspires to unite common European values and Greece’s unique identity, the beginning of the continent’s union and its future course, the solid principles that formed our past with our common aspirations for the future.
The symbolic background of the logo is the sea: a fundamental element of Greek identity, but also a pivotal component of Europe’s past and future. The sea has historically united people and is nowadays a generator of growth and jobs across Europe thus, forming a horizontal thematic running through the Greek Presidency’s priorities. Against this background, the individual motifs forming the logo illustrate the Greek land’s indented terrain and coastline, while the “semicircle” represents the Parliament and the ancient theatre, cradles of Europe’s democratic traditions, institutional equality and our common cultural heritage.
The sailboat is at the forefront of the logo’s narrative power: a symbol of exploration and transition, but also of communication and unity. As such, it aspires to relay our decision to sail together towards a common future overcoming hardships and storms.
The journey is the symbolic essence of the logo’s narration: a shared course of democracy and participation, a common quest for prosperity through growth and employment, a vessel of mobility and security for the future. These ideals forged our past and are now the common inspiration that leads our course. This is the Greek Presidency’s message to Europe and to the world: Europe is our common quest and journey – united we sail further.