With the Digital Freedom Foundation, we have concluded our Software Freedom Day Mascot Challenge, and we're pleased to announce the winners who will receive drawing tablets from Huion.
While we had hoped for a larger pool of submissions, the entries we received demonstrated something valuable: the power of storytelling and symbolism in representing software freedom. The creative backstories and meaningful symbolism behind each mascot concept truly stood out, even as artistic approaches varied considerably and sparked divided opinions among our judges.
Cheese's submission earned top honors with a painted interpretation of a kite crafted from an old SFD banner. The accompanying reflection beautifully captured the essence of community in free software: "Through communal effort, support, and contribution, we are uplifted to new heights. And whether close enough to hold hands, or distanced, we are all connected, soaring in the same sky". The technical execution and philosophical depth resonated strongly with judges.
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My submission is a kite made from an old SFD banner. I ran out of time to make this in person, so I painted it instead and wrote this about the F/OSS movement: The origin of Free Software lies in empowering people to control their own tools, To be free to fix their own problems and to make sure their own needs are met. When combined with humanity, this leads to a culture of sharing and inspiration. Through communal effort, support, and contribution, we are uplifted to new heights, And whether close enough to hold hands, or distanced, we are all connected, soaring in the same sky. |
Hodari, created in Inkscape, presents a tortoise climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro toward Uhuru (freedom) peak. The symbolism here is particularly rich—"Hodari" means "hardworking and persistent" in Kiswahili, and references the classic fable where steady determination triumphs over speed. This concept embodies the patient, methodical approach that characterizes the free software movement's journey toward digital freedom.
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Hodari is a kiswahili name for a hardworking and persistent person. The mascot is a tortoise (animals known to beat hares in long races), climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro to ascend to Uhuru (freedom) peak. |
Faruk by Luis D Louro (Portugal) takes a minimalist approach with a simple, heart-headed character created in Inkscape. The creator emphasized practical considerations: Faruk's straightforward design allows for easy replication, adaptation, and animation. This utilitarian philosophy sparked debate among judges about the balance between artistic complexity and functional versatility.
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This is Faruk, he likes free software. He can change colors depending on his mood. He would be a nice mascot because he is a simple drawing that can be easly replicated. He can be adapted to many situations. He can be easly animated. I hope you like Faruk as much as I do! |
Koa by Mohamad Kamel Hafez Khaiata (Syria) showcased exceptional conceptual creativity despite challenging circumstances. Submitted from Aleppo, Syria, during power outages, this time-traveling honey badger features intricate FOSS logo integration including Godot, Openshot, Inkscape, and Evince. The backstory of a character traveling from the future to promote knowledge-sharing demonstrates imaginative storytelling that enriches our community.
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Koa is a time-traveling honey badger who traveled from the future to the early 2000s to promote the values of free and open source software: sharing knowledge and embracing innovation. He is brave, adventurous, and very passionate about his mission. Koa carries a disc and a flash drive on his waist as keychains, they act as quick access to FOSS software and grant him the ability to spread awareness regarding it more easily. He has logos of multiple iconic FOSS software splattered throughout his design—Godot on his left (robotic) arm acting as a gear to move it, Openshot as his belt, Inkscape symbol on his right shoulder, and Evince on his right leg. He carries the iconic open source symbol (the flipped “C”) on his back, and his mantle is shaped like a “C” shape. |
As we celebrate these submissions, we'd like to extend invitations to each artist to further develop their work and further refine their concepts.
The DFF will share the addresses of the winners with Huion, so they can ship the prizes to their homes. We thank all participants for contributing their visions of software freedom and look forward to seeing how these mascot concepts might evolve. Did you get inspired by these submissions? While you might not win a prize anymore, we’d still be happy to share your contributions on our social media!