Arabian Gulf Cup logo puts designer Wissam Shawkat under the spotlight

BASRA: Stepping out of Basra International Airport, the first thing that welcomes all air travelers into the city is a sculpture of a colorful logo of the city designed for the Arabian Gulf Cup.

Its elegance is in its simplicity: the word Basra, written in majestic English and Arabic calligraphy, separated by a palm tree — Basra’s most famous export. In a city more used to having tacky political posters plastered around town, the logo really stands out as a touch of grace.