Journey to the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil begins

Present were Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, president of the Brazil 2014 Organising Committee and FIFA executive committee member Ricardo Teixeira and FIFA president Joseph S Blatter as well as former Seleção players Cafu, Carlos Alberto Torres, Romario and 1994 FIFA World Cup winning coach Carlos Alberto Parreira.

Prior to the emblem unveiling, 500 guests, including international media, were treated to a small taste of what they can expect from the first FIFA World Cup in Brazil since 1950. Brazilian music groups Barbatuques and Bossa Cuca Nova and Grammy award-winning singer Vanessa da Mata appeared on stage in an hour-long show hosted by the Brazilian celebrity couple Fernanda Lima and Rodrigo Hilbert.

Brazil's winning design comes out of Africa

FIFA and the Brazil LOC invited 25 Brazilian-based agencies to submit designs for the official emblem of the 2014 tournament and the task of picking the winner was awarded to a high-profile seven-strong judging panel. The panel was made up of one of the most influential figures in Brazilian architecture Oscar Niemeyer, designer Hans Donner, supermodel Gisele Bundchen, author Paulo Coelho, singer Ivete Sangalo as well as Ricardo Teixeira and FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke.

The winning design was "Inspiration", created by Brazilian agency Africa. The design stems from an iconic photograph of three victorious hands together raising the world's most famous trophy. As well as depicting the humanitarian notion of hands interlinking, the portrayal of the hands is also symbolic of the yellow and green of Brazil warmly welcoming the world to their country.

The next major milestone on the road to the 2014 FIFA World Cup will be the preliminary draw to be conducted in Brazil in July 2011.