The 'Beyond SDGs Public-Private Conference,' a practical platform for dialogue regarding international goals beyond 2030, held a logo design competition for its action slogan 'BEYOND! for beyond SDGs' for approximately two months starting from October 8, 2025. Following an evaluation process featuring special judge Katsuhiko Hibino, President of Tokyo University of the Arts, the design titled "The Power of Inquiry Collected with 'Hatena' (Question Marks), and Towards Deepening" by Akari Takehara of Keio University was selected. After further refinement, the communication symbol has been completed and is now available for download from the conference's official website.
### Background of the Logo Competition 'BEYOND! for beyond SDGs' is the action slogan for the public-private partnership platform. It aims to send proposals based on practice toward achieving SDGs from Japan to Asia and the UN, looking ahead to the post-2030 international goals. The theme asks, "How can we go beyond 'now' to realize a richer future?" and seeks to gather various voices and thoughts on SDGs.
The evaluation emphasized an open stance for collaboration across sectors, generations, and fields, as well as a universal design that can be shared with people in Asia and the rest of the world. The goal is for this logo to be used as a common symbol in various events and activities held across Japan, forming an 'All-Japan' movement. The judging panel was chaired by Norichika Kanie (Professor at Keio University Graduate School) and included members such as Yudai Iguchi (Creative Director at Hakuhodo) and Hiroko Kuniya (Journalist).
### Details of the Selection Process The selection meeting held at Keio University Mita Campus involved deep dialogues among the four judges. They evaluated numerous entries from various perspectives, occasionally returning to the core ideals and goals of the conference. After extensive discussion, the work by student Akari Takehara was chosen. The design was highly praised for not only representing the 17 goals but also using the 'question mark' icon—a universal symbol—to emphasize the importance of 'inquiry' as a foundation for moving forward.
Following the selection, a creative meeting was held with the winner, Mr. Hibino, and Mr. Iguchi to refine the details. The final logo incorporates 17-colored shapes resembling 'speech bubbles' that form a question mark, representing the dynamic image of diverse inquiries gathering to deepen the 'Beyond SDGs' discussion. The logo is expected to be widely utilized to promote activities across the public and private sectors.
FACT BOX
- Source: PR TIMES
- Category: Event