The official posters of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games were unveiled  Monday, and Canada's symbol, the maple leaf, has become the core of the design.

"One of Canada's most cherished symbols is the maple leaf. We put it on our flag, our uniforms and even our backpacks when we travel around the world. It sums up who we are -- our shared history, values and goals as a country," said Nathalie Lambert, Canada's chef de mission for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games at a ceremony unveiling the posters.

"That's why it's fitting to have the maple leaf on the official posters of Canada's Games. With this modern, youthful and spirited take on our national symbol, we will welcome the world as hosts of the 2010 Winter Games in just 228 days time!" he said.

Lambert, a three-time Olympic medalist in short track speed skating, unveiled the posters with Jean Labonte, a 2006 Paralympic gold medalist in ice sledge hockey; and John Furlong, Chief Executive Officer of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC).

One of the most coveted collectors' keepsakes of the Games, the official posters of the Games, the 21st produced for a Winter Olympic Games, will have a place in history alongside past Games posters, and are expected to grace bedroom walls, boardrooms and sports facilities around the world.

The posters go on sale on Monday at www.vancouver2010.com/store and at the Olympic Stores located at the Vancouver International Airport and in Whistler, B.C., starting at 15 Canadian dollars (12. 75 U.S. dollars), according to a press release from the VANOC.

The complementary posters, which reflect the signature look of the 2010 Winter Games, have a bold, contemporary design and feature a cropped maple leaf composed of a vibrant palette of blues and greens found in the natural landscape of Vancouver and the Sea to Sky corridor, the Games Host Region. When the Olympic and Paralympic posters are displayed together, the two halves of the maple leaf join to create a whole, a concept that is a first for an organizing committee.

The Official Emblems of the Games, and the Games motto With Glowing Hearts/Des plus brillants exploits, are also on the posters. All poster elements are artfully displayed on a white wood grain textured background.

"As one of the most visible and collectible items of the Games, we're proud to offer Canadians and supporters around the world official posters that truly illustrate the spirit of Canada's Games," said Furlong. "The poster features the traditional maple leaf rendered in a new way that is symbolic of a country that is young at heart, diverse, dynamic and fun. The unique pairing of these posters reflect our integrated approach to celebrating the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games as one event for Canada."

The posters were designed in-house by a member of the same design team that developed the Games' graphic identity in 2007.

This same signature "look" will also be found at Games time in 2010, on tickets, banners, venue signage and buildings, giving the entire Host Region a seamless, festive atmosphere as it welcomes the world.

(Xinhua News Agency June 30, 2009)