By Nick Butler

Lviv 2022 have unveiled the logo for their 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics bid ©Lviv 2022January 31 - A logo reflecting the "open" and "multi-cultural" nature of Lviv's bid for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Games has been unveiled on the backdrop of protests which continue to rock the city and the rest of Ukraine.


The logo, selected from four options by voting on a special website, was unveiled during a Ceremony presenting Ukraine's squad for next weeks Olympic Games in Sochi.

According to the organisers, almost 60,000 people in Ukraine participated in the voting process, with the winning choice gaining more than 32,000 votes. 

The logo is said to combine the "openness of Lviv's world" - and a combination of its multinational and multicultural nature with values of high tolerance and friendliness".

Creators also claim that is reflects the deep, ancient culture of the city and region combined with extreme environmental conditions," as well as depicting the "unique Carpathian Mountains which are an integral part of the history and present of the city". 

But the fledgling bid continues to be overshadowed by the protests engulfing Ukraine which shown no sign of abating following the ban on public protests earlier this month. 

Protests have continued to rock Ukraine despite the ban on public demonstration...which has now been lifted ©AFP/Getty ImagesProtests have continued to rock Ukraine despite the ban on public demonstration...which has now been lifted ©AFP/Getty Images


Parliament yesterday lifted the ban on public protests and also passed an amnesty law for detained protesters and this followed resignation of Prime Minister Mykola Azarov.

This also casts a doubt over the future of Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Vilkul, who is also bid leader of Lviv 2022. 

Lviv are now one of five cities bidding to host the Games in 2022, along with Almaty, Beijing, Krakow and Oslo, after Stockholm withdrew earlier this month.

The five remaining cities will attend the Sochi 2014 Games as official observers before answering a detailed IOC questionnaire submitted as part of the application files in March.