The Motto of Pope Francis’ trip to Bangladesh (November 30-December 2, 2017) is “Harmony and Peace”, in Bangla “Shomprity & Shanti”.
“Reality and at the same time aspiration of HARMONY among religions, cultures, peoples, society, history, heritage and traditions in Bangladesh. Reality of PEACE experienced, as well as aspired to in the future, with a vision of integrated human and spiritual development in Bangladesh”, says the official communique that also explains the meaning of the logo.
Meaning of the Logo:
Bird of Peace: Symbolizes Pope Francis, the ambassador of harmony and peace to this land and his free spirit. His presence is a joyful celebration for the nation and for the Church. The bird is designed with the colorful ribbons that explore festive spirit.
Cross and Shapla: Cross symbolizes Christ’s presence and God’s love for humanity. Bangladeshi people of multi-cultures and multi-religions are living together in a spirit of harmony founded on common bond, which is presented by the National Flower Shpala. It also symbolizes life and hope and also expresses that our faith is very much alive even though we are few in number. The bird and flower represent also the Earth, our common home.
The Colors: Green, red, and yellow are national colors of Bangladesh and the Vatican. The combination of these colors symbolizes the unity and lasting friendship between the Vatican and Bangladesh, remembering that the Vatican was one of the first countries to recognize Bangladesh’s Independence in 1971. Blue color in writing symbolizes peace and the clear water of the rivers in Bangladesh.
