Bahá'í in finals to design new emblem for Parliament

Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

Amal Ma'ani-Hessari, Creative Director of www.dawntide.com, has been chosen, from over 2000 entrants, as a finalist in a competition to design a new emblem for the Parliament of South Africa. Amal (43) joined 19 other finalists in Cape Town at the Lanzerac Manor for an intensive four-day workshop.

Amal was immediately inspired after seeing an advert for search for a new emblem, to replace the old coat of arms in a drive to change Parliament's image.

"I focused on bringing about the representation of the Parliament as a source of unity," he said.

Amal sees "Parliament as the leading light in Africa; the goal of which he would love to see as bringing together a group of individuals who are elected for the quality of their character and varying talents in offering 'African Solutions to African Problems' and striving for equality and unity in diversity."

He chose the theme Unity in Diversity for his design.

The theme is "a perfect example to the rest of the world as well as our own local government representatives, of how a group of individuals' diverse colour, ethnicity, differing religious and cultural backgrounds and upbringing can successfully work together in bringing about the betterment of this beautiful, diverse and unique country that we all live in", he said.

The finalists are a representative mix of South Africa's racial and cultural make-up, but not without an exotic element. Representatives from almost all nine of the provinces were represented with Amal representing KwaZulu-Natal. Amal is a former religious refugee from Iran and was expected to add an international flavour to the design process. Amal was born in Iran and brought up in Tehran until the age of 14 when his family were forced to move to the United Kingdom because of the political turmoil in Iran.

Amal qualified as a Graphic Designer in 1986 and has considerable international xxperience in marketing, design and public relations. Three years ago he emigrated to South Africa with his wife and their four children. He has since become a permanent resident in the city of Pietermaritzburg and heads the creative team at www.dawntide.com, inspired publishing and www.logoshop.co.za; both under the One Circle International umbrella, a strategic management, branding and I.T. company.

Amal is a Fellow of the internationally-recognised Chartered Society of Designers (FCSD) as well as a member of the South African Association of Professional Designers.

Every aspect of Amal's life is inspired by his deep faith in God. He is a member of the Msunduzi Bahá'í Community - this is a faith which believes in a single world community believing in the oneness of God, the oneness of religion and the oneness of mankind regardless of our cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds. The Bahá'í Faith comprises what is very likely the most diverse and widespread organised body of people on earth. Bahá'í's believe in the unity of mankind - hence Amal's inspiration when he submitted his emblem design to the South African Parliament who were calling for the emblem to reflect "that Parliament is responsive to the needs of the people, and is driven by the ideal of realising a better quality of life for all the people of South Africa."

When not designing, Amal commits his leisure time to painting (he is also an internationally-recognised artist), producing music, relaxing with his wife, Sharon and their four children (Naseem, Shomaise, Daunya and Zarrin) and promoting the Bahá'í work within the Msunduzi Bahá'í Community. Amal has recently graduated as a qualified tutor of the Ruhi Institute. This process actively encourages social and economical development projects for adults, youth and children, around the world.

The new emblem for the South African Parliament will be revealed
early next year.