The deadline for those ones who want to vote in the next UAE logo ends in just over two weeks. The competition, which was open on the UAE Nation Brand website, began on June 23 and it should be initially closed on July 18, but the responsible committee decided to extend the period untill September 15 in order to obtain the highest number of votes and comments as possible.

In a groundbreaking initiative, the campaign was announced on prime minister’s Twitter, Sheikh Mohammed, and the choice of competitors seems to not had been easy; on June 5th he released the following photo accompanied by the words:

 “Headedthe UAE cabinet meeting reviewed Proposed nation brand designs. We want to tell UAE story to the world creatively.”

 On June 23 the contest went live with the message of the minister:

 “Today, we have uploaded onhttp://www.uaepm.ae collection of the UAE nation brand logos, Which were Proposed During the last Cabinet session.”

Followed by:

 “The UAE will soon Promote nation brand for the UAE & tell its story to the world. I want all of you to choose the design you think is best.”

 The initiative follows the example of countries such as Canada, Netherlands and South Africa. The public can choose from five options, check out the designs and their explanations second the UAE National Brand website:

1 – Fabric of Society

“This route was inspired by the beautiful fabrics and patterns created by Emirati artists throughout the ages. As the fabrics are woven by the men and women, a sense of culture and society is also reinforced. The narrative of ‘fabric of society’ is visualised and expressed in the wordmark and identity system. The repeating lines always appear in groups of seven, representing the seven Emirates. The varied colours are derived from the actual colours present in Emirati art and craft, and not least, the UAE flag.”

2- Brilliant

“A country is so much more than its wealth, physical borders, infrastructure, laws and institutions. What makes a country great is its inspirational people and knowledge held within them. This route is a symbolic expression of the different facets and people that make up the UAE; The actual Map of the country and the seven Emirates make up the basic shape of the symbol. The seven facets represent the brilliance of the people within the seven Emirates – all united as one.”

3- ‘You’ can be anything

“In a growing, dynamic and diverse country there are a infinite number of possibilities. Every person, in his or her own way contribute to the great future of the UAE. This route was developed as a reflection of this diversity – a symbol representative of the change, flexibility and continual growth that is the UAE of tomorrow. The ‘U’ element in the mark can be anything you wish it to be – and the people of the UAE are invited to create their own versions of the ‘U’. Distincly ‘future’ looking, this identity symbolises the future of the UAE.”

4- Vivid Tapestry

“In order to move successfully into the future, a country must know its past. Learning from mistakes and successes is part of the growth process. The rich heritage and balanced Emirati culture of the seven combined Emirates are contained and balanced within a traditional Kufi script – a route where even when written in English, the appearance is unmistakably Emirati. The UAE has no peers in the wider middle east when it comes to balancing the past with the future.”

5- All-Encompassing

“No nation ever stands still – and the UAE is an example of a nation at the leading edge of dynamism in the world. Things don’t just move here at normal speed – they happen at the speed of light – the UAE is constantly changing, adapting and exploring its potential in the world. A symbol was created to demonstrate this constant state of dynamic evolution – a symbol simple enough to be memorised by the people – to the point where they are able to replicate it with their own hands – no matter the age or ability. A truly democratic symbol.”

And then, what is your choice? Click here to vote.