Emblem of the 12th World Festival of Youth and Students, Moscow 1985 -- Daily LIFT #367
"After an impressive competition the official emblem for the festival was adopted. It is a flower with five petals, symbolizing five of the continents on the planet. At its center is the dove of peace on a background of the globe.
To choose an emblem, the jury worked for two and a half months looking through the more than 300 entries sent in by professional and amateur artists. The initial requirements for the emblem were as follows: First, it had to contain the festival daisy, a symbol that first appeared in the emblem of the Moscow festival of 1957. It became so popular with participants that a special resolution was passed to make it a compulsory element of all symbols in festivals to come. Second, the emblem was to express the motto of the 12th World Festival of Youth and Students: "Participation, Development, Peace." Third, it was to be original and memorable. The design of Rafael Masautov, an artist from Kiev, the capital of the Ukraine, met all of these requirements.
"It was a difficult task," the artist said. "According to the rules of the contest, the new emblem had to incorporate the traditional festival flower, but its design did not have to be the same. The emblem also had to express the vital concerns of today's youth. The present international situation is very complicated, and young people are aware of the fact that their very future is being threatened. That's why so many young people around the world are uniting to promote peace. The jury for the contest must have felt that my design with the dove of peace best expressed the main theme of our times—mobilizing for peace. I am positive that the 12th World Festival of Youth and Students will contribute greatly to promoting peace. This is vital for all inhabitants on Earth." - Soviet Life Magazine, January 1985