ICV 27 - Heraldry Society of Slovenia

The Heraldic Society of Slovenia presented the pitch to the congress to hose the 29th International Congress of Vexillology in 2021. 

It was a well presentation, with video, music, and splendid colours.  It would have made the current first lady proud, Melania Trump, since she is Slovenian.  In the photo above the Slovenians are holding the potential flag for the ICV 29?  Will it come true?  Only time will tell. 

ICV 27 - Speaker 19: Pluethipol Prachumphol

A short history of the Thai flag was given under the paper History of the Thai Flag.  Prachumphol also showed us that Thailand recently obtained the title for the world's biggest flag in 2016.  Since the Thai flag had reached its 100th year of use in its modern form, his group was responsible with creating worlds largest flag to celebrate its centennial.  Thus on November 30th 2016, Thailand became the nation with the largest flag in the world.  In the image below you can see the world's largest flag being hoisted on three flag poles.  His speaking partner is holding the Guinness World Record's certificate.

The Thai flag has undergone many changes. But the current flag was adopted with the middle blue stripe when the Thais entered on the side of the allies in 1917 during WWI, thus the flag you seen now is the flag modern flag of Thailand.

ICV 27 - Speaker 18: Ladislav Hnat

A plentiful discussion about political party flags were showcased.  Hnat's paper was entitled Party Flags, Colours and Logos in the 8th European Parliament. 

Hnat focused on the red rose, which has become a popular symbol of the socialist parties in Europe.  Even the UK's Labour party has a red rose in its flag, although the rose is deeply connected to the English history rather than socialism. 




Labour Party Flag Image
http://www.rogercee.com/labours-internal-war-raising-a-white-flag-killed-the-conservative-party-labour-must-keep-its-red-flag-flying/

ICV 27 - Speaker 17: Cedric de Fougerolle

Fougerolle spoke about the publishers book stamps from a vexillological perspective.  His paper was entitled Ex-Libris and Vexillology.  Those decorative labels on books typically are used to identify the owner.  But many times over a heraldic style coat of arms is used, often including flags.

Fougerolle broke up the these book marks into five different categories: patriotic, military, heraldic, maritime, and artistic. 

ICV 27 - Speaker 16: Ralph Kelly

Empire Flag at Imperial University, The Huxley Building, London

Kelly spoke about the Empire flag of the UK, so appropriate for a talk at Imperial University.  Ralph Kelly's paper was simply entitled A Flag for Empire.

The Imperial flag for the British Empire has been carted to dust bin of history.  But for a little while, persons across the British Empire were encouraged to celebrate 'Empire Day.'  The British were heads and shoulders leading the world with technologies and other important discoveries at the time.  Likewise the connectivity between the colonies were rather strong, at the beginning of the 1900s.

Kelly noted that Empire Day started in Canada, but become a global holiday across the Empire.  Eventually a flag was created to honor this day which featured the coat of arms of Australia, Canada, South Africa, and the Star of India in the center of the cross on white canton UK flag. 


Here is a photo of the Empire Flag being waved at the end of WWII.

ICV 27 - Speaker 15: Alan Hardy

Hardy spoke about new ways to format flags and code for the various national colours.  In an effort to standardize colours and ratios of flags a cutting edge set of new flag proposals for the nations were illustrated.

Notice that Hardy added a yellow ring to the national flag of Bangladesh to provide contrast.  China's flag was given a major zoom in, with the flag of South Korea underwent a major change.

ICV 27 - Speaker 14: Scot Guenter

 

 Guenter illustrated the various on goings within and the varied approaches to vexillology.  The traditional route according to Scot is the scholarly approach that requires lots of reading and sifting through books.  A second avenue is the active vexillologist who promotes certain ideas, mostly centered on reforming bad flag design. 


Guenter cited Roman Mars as connected to Vexillology in action and discussed the effect of such promotions in the media to cause of vexillology. 

Always giving a delightful and well presented paper, Scot Guenter is a corner stone in modern day post-Whitney Smith vexillology.   Guenter adheres to the original academic aspect of Whiteney's work. 

He also ended his presentation with a homework assignment, that everyone in vexillology should read the thesis of William Crampton, the UK's version of Whitney Smith.