Despite separately sharing the invention with ancient Greece, the first known developments surrounding the armillary sphere date back to 4th century BC’s China, with later use in both the Islamic World and Medieval Europe.

The instrument consists of a spherical framework of rings that model the celestial sphere, representing lines of celestial longitude and latitude, used by early astronomers to determine the position of stars. Later on, it would be adopted in heraldry, as a symbol largely associated with discovery in the exploration era.

Given its nature as a navigational instrument and its common presence in both European and Asian culture, such is EATSA’s scope, it was adopted as the festival’s symbol, representing the need to reevaluate our current position and chart a new direction towards a truly sustainable future.

The stylized shape of the armillary sphere was thus combined with the representation of a camera lens, building upon the concept of film as a navigational tool in the sustainability space, a cultural artefact used to communicate and stimulate ideas, experiences, and promoting good practices with a positive and meaningful impact for the tourism industry.