Acronym: Al Idrisi - a famous medieval geographer, cartographer and botanist

The Erasmus Mundus - Al Idrisi II project takes its name from the famous medieval geographer, cartographer and botanist أبو عبد الله محمد الإدريسي ( Abū Abd Allāh Muhammad al-Idrīsī). He is the author of one of the most important works of medieval Geography نزهة المشتاق افي اختراق الآفاق‬ (kitāb nuzhat al-mushtāq fī ikhtirāq al-āfāq; Journey of one who is eager to traverse horizons) and Botany ‫كتاب الجامع ﻷشتات النبات‬ (kitāb al-ǧāmiʿ li-aštāti ʾn-nabāt; Compendium of Plant Species).

Logo: Al Idrisi's world map

The logo of the Erasmus Mundus - Al Idrisi II project is derived from one of the most famous maps drawn by Al Idrisi (see below). It shows mostly Europe, Africa and Asia. Please note that the north is represented at the bottom and the south at the top. This reflects quite nicely the new views and change of perspective that Erasmus Mundus - Al Idrisi II aims to promote. The small rosette between Al and Idrisi is the symbol that Al Idrisi used for indicating the location of mayor cities on his maps (see below an example of Al Andalus).

Al Idrisi's world map

[public domain image copied from http://wapedia.mobi/commons/File:Al-idrisi_world_map.jpg]

Al Andalus

Al Andalus from kitāb nuzhat al-mushtāq fī ikhtirāq al-āfāq (Journey of one who is eager to traverse horizons) also called Tabula Rogeriana (Sicily 1154; 13th century copy, Maghreb; Bibliothèque Nationale de France)
[image copied from http://classes.bnf.fr/idrisi/grand/c4s1.htm]