Rome, January 15 - Budding flowers in the three national colours of Italy comprise the logo for the host country's pavilion during Milan Expo 2015, unveiled by organizers of the world's fair on Wednesday.

The flower buds hint at "the idea of a plant nursery" and bring to mind "the young and their future," in Italy, suggested Diana Bracco, head of Expo 2015 SpA and general commissioner of the Italian pavilion section.

The green, red, and white design is a "youthful logo with the Italian national colors," demonstrating diversity, as well as unity and energy, she said. "There is in this logo the idea that the future should be built with the contribution of everyone, that everyone should give the best of themselves in the common interest".

The new logo, designed by Carmi & Ubertis of Milan, will become a highly visible symbol of the Italian pavilion.

Marco Balich, artistic advisor for the Italian Pavilion for Expo 2015, said the budding-flower logo and the pavilion overall are born from the idea of helping individuals to grow to become the best they can be.

"The idea was born from the creative logo concept inspiring the Italian Pavilion; the nursery, the metaphor of a protected area that helps projects and talents to sprout".

The image also represents new hope and growth for all of Italy, he added. "We want to refurbish the image of Italy to give a new hope. There is a pride to recover," said Balich.

"(Expo) should be a party, have the tone of joy," so the logo therefore "is alive, cheerful, full of hope".

Meanwhile, Expo Commissioner Giuseppe Sala unveiled a new "super web portal" for the world's fair that he said should be up and running "by the end of the first quarter of the year".

The theme of the six-month world's exposition in Milan between May 2015 and October 2015, "Feeding the Planet: Energy for Life," will emphasize food security, agriculture and international products as well technology to improve food production.

That theme is especially well represented in the Milan Expo mascot - an Arcimboldo-like character with banana lips, garlic nose, pineapple topknot, and a quirky smile with individual fruits and vegetables.

Eight thousand children in Italy submitted entries to baptize the mascot in an online contest that was launched one month ago on the Expo 2015 website.

The jury is now reviewing entries and winners are to be announced on January 31.

Premier Enrico Letta has said that Milan Expo 2015 will give Italy the kind of boost to both its economy and its morale that the country enjoyed when Rome hosted the Olympics in 1960.

Hosting the world's fair will also raise Italian spirits and give the country a lift on the European stage by lifting Milan's profile as a world-class city, he said.

Approximately 141 nations and entities have formally agreed to participate in Milan Expo 2015 and more than 20 million visitors and participants are expected.

Preparations have been under way on Expo's 1.1-million-square-meter site and the event is expected to generate millions of euros for Italy's business capital.

Italy last hosted a world's fair in 1992 with a Christopher Columbus theme in Genoa, the explorer's hometown.