From NO8DO to AMEST & IMS: The Story Behind Our Logo

Every city has symbols that tell a story. In Sevilla, one of the most distinctive is NO8DO, the motto that has become an unmistakable emblem of the city.

At its centre is a figure that looks like the number 8, but is actually a skein of thread, known in Spanish as a madeja. This gives rise to a unique Sevillian play on words: “NO–MADEJA–DO” sounds like “No me ha dejado”, meaning “It has not left me” — traditionally understood as “Sevilla has not abandoned me.”

According to tradition, the motto dates back to the reign of King Alfonso X the Wise, who received the loyalty and support of Sevilla during his conflict with his son, the future King Sancho IV. The phrase is traditionally understood as the city’s declaration of loyalty to the king: Sevilla no me ha dejado — Sevilla has not abandoned me.

It is this combination of symbol, meaning, and connection that inspired the visual identity of AMEST & IMS 2027.

Taking the madeja from Sevilla’s iconic NO8DO as our starting point, we have incorporated it into the congress logo as a visual metaphor for the connection between two IFAC workshops: the IFAC Workshop on Advanced Maintenance Engineering, Services and Technology (AMEST) and the IFAC Workshop on Intelligent Manufacturing Systems (IMS), coming together in Sevilla in 2027.

Just as individual threads are brought together to form a single skein, our logo represents two workshops connected by a common purpose: bringing together researchers, professionals, and ideas around advanced maintenance, intelligent manufacturing, and emerging technologies.

A symbol rooted in Sevilla thus becomes a symbol of connection for our international community.

Two workshops, one shared vision.