Verdi

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Text on Button VERDI
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Green text over a white stripe with a yellow sun with a smiley face over a green background

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The Smiling Sun is the international symbol of the anti-nuclear power movement.  It was designed by anti-nuclear activists, Anne Lund and Soren Lisberg, for Denmark's OOA (Organization for Information on Atomic Energy) in 1975. Smiling Sun buttons were originally passed out at the May 1st celebration in Arhus Denmark, but soon were used by anti-nuclear activists around the world, with the words "Nuclear Power? No Thanks" translated into over 40 languages. This message was designed to be polite and friendly, but firm, and to encourage dialog.  The sun was chosen as a symbol of hope because it sustains life on earth. The button is yellow because shops in Denmark use black letters on a yellow background for their signs, so Lund and Soren felt it was a welcoming color. 

The Federation of the Greens also known as the Greens (Verdi in Italian) is a green political party in Italy. Federazione dei Verdi (FdV) is part of the European Green Party and the Global Greens. It was started in 1990 when the Federation of the Green Lists (LV) and the Rainbow Greens (VA) merged. LV began in 1984 by environmentalists and held an anti-nuclear stance. The symbol for FdV came from LV which was the Smiling Sun.

Sources

Bardi, U. (2011 April 10). Interview with the designer of the "Nuclear? No Thanks" logo [weblog post]. Cassandra's Legacy.

OOA Fonden. (2007). Smiling sun history. 

Catalog ID SM0196