Jaishankar, Finnish counterpart Elina Valtonen unveil logo celebrating 75 years of diplomatic ties

New Delhi [India], February 22 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Finnish counterpart Elina Valtonen unveiled the logo commemorating 75 years of diplomatic ties between the two nations.

In a post on X, Jaishankar stated, “Delighted to unveil the logo celebrating 75 years of India-Finland diplomatic ties along with FM @elinavaltonen.” This year, Finland and India are celebrating the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.

The logo was unveiled when the two leaders met at the Raisina Dialogue in Delhi. The logo, designed by a talented Indian student, serves as a testament to the deep friendship, cultural exchange, and collaborative spirit shared between India and Finland over the past 75 years and “heralds a future of continued partnership, innovation, and mutual growth,” Finland Embassy in India said in a press release.

According to the official press release, Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen said, “The 75-year journey of Finland-India relations has been remarkable. This logo beautifully symbolizes our strong friendship and growing partnership. I am honoured to join my Indian counterpart in its unveiling.”

Finland’s Ambassador to India Kimmo Lahdevirta said that the unveiling of logo by the Foreign Ministers demonstrates the significance of the Finland-India partnership globally. Lahdevirta added, “Today, we celebrate the winning design and the talented young artist who created it.”

The official press release issued by Finland Embassy in India reads, “Aman Narayan, a student at the World University of Design (WUD) in Haryana, created the logo after drawing inspiration from India’s cultural ethos as well as aurora borealis, commonly known as the northern lights – the natural phenomenon for which Finland is famous for.”

In collaboration with WUD, the Finland Embassy in India launched a logo design competition on January 15, 2024, inviting students of the university to showcase their creativity. Numerous unique and thoughtful designs emerged that showcasing shared values, cultural fusion, and the strong bonds that have flourished over the past 75 years, according to the official press release.

A jury, composed of Finnish and Indian graphic designers, embassy representatives, and Business Finland, evaluated submissions on the basis of criteria like creativity, relevance, visual impact, conceptual strength, and adaptability. Aman Narayan’s logo design had won the competition. World University of Design Vice Chancellor Sanjay Gupta expressed pride in Aman Narayan’s winning design.

Currently, Finland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen is in India to attend the Raisina Dialogue which is being held from February 21-23. The Raisina Dialogue, annually hosted by the Indian Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, brings together heads of state, ministers, businesses, the media and academia to discuss the state of the world and explore opportunities for cooperation.

The aim of the visit is to strengthen bilateral relations, highlight foreign and security policy issues important to Finland and contribute to the international foreign and security policy debate during the Raisina Dialogue, according to the Finland Ministry of Foreign Affairs official release.