ICV 27 - Speaker 25: David Chkheidze

We saw an overview of municipal flags about the nation of Georgia.  Chkeidze's paper was entitled The Flags of Contemporary Georgia.

Chkheidze noted that the Republic of Georgia's post Soviet flag is an ancient design dated back to Pre-Columbian times.  Georgia's flag is essentially a heraldic flag.  Currently there are 66 districts and 12 self governing cities in the Republic of Georgia.  Chkeidze gave a delightful overview of Georgia's modern day flags that incorporate good design linked to real geographic elements. He also noted that the Republic of Georgia has many local ethnic groups.  Even the touchy subject of the break away territories were included: Abkhazia and Adjara.

Origin of Republic of Georgia's Flag 1367

He also noted the Republic of Georgia is proud of its wine producing heritage, which dates back some 8000 years ago to about 6000 BC, before the rise of the Egyptian Empire and Pyramids.  Also noted was the cross of St. Nino which has its arms on a slight bend.

He said the hardest part about making flags was that people sometimes want to include too much: every historical symbol and icon, making the flags virtual tourist guide maps, which results in very 'ugly' flags.

ICV 27 - Speaker 24: Jos Poels

Poels gave us a paper on evolution of the Gambian flag with the title of Evolution of the Gambian Flag.  

Poels pointed out that the geography of Gambia was due to Imperial powers needs, named the UK and France, who gave little thought to the tribal areas.  Poels also pointed out that the colonial badge of Gambia had an elephant trumpeting on it, and not from the back end.  However Gambia does not have any elephants.  Additionally there were hills on the badge, but there are not hills in Gambia.   Later the trumpeting elephant of Gambia was used on several other English colonies in Africa with letters underneath to indicate which was what.

Jos dedicated his presentation to Louis Lucien Thomasi (1910-1985), who was the designer of Gambia's modern day flag.  Also note that Jos Poel was also present for the birth of South Africa's modern day flag, a fun yet quirky fact.









 

ICV 27 - Speaker 23: Herve Calvarian

 

Calvarian presented information about researching flags, as to the ways to classify certainty.  Calvarin's paper was entitled Doubts and Certainties in Vexillology.

Among primary sources for flags comes via written laws and ordinances, archives, photos, videos, and postal stamps.  Secondary sources include vexillological work, dictionaries, reference books, press articles, and testimonials. Calvarian noted that written descriptions can be wildly interpreted.

Essentially many flag designs can be lost in the march of history, being real or not.  But Calvarian established an efficient rubric that allows one to grade the source as to its reliability.

ICV 27 - Speaker 22: Stoyan Antonov

Antov showcased the Bulgarian municipalities.  Antov's paper was entitled Flags of Bulgarian Municipalities.

Antov pointed out that most Bulgarian flags are mono-coloured.  It is also a Bulgarian law that chauvinistic symbols are forbidden.  Unlike the USA, where local municipality flags are essentially unregulated by any kind of higher authority.  It really is up to the people to select and design their own flag.

Since Bulgaria has been a EU member since 2007, a new push for new flags has swept the nation.     

ICV 27 - Speaker 21: Bruce Berry

 

Bruce spoke about the old green Rhodesian (Zimbabwe) flag and all the modern issues that follow.  Bruce's paper was entitled The Beloved Green and White - (White) Rhodesia's  [Modern day ZIMBABWE] Search for a Unique Symbol of Identity.  

Although Zimbabwe was the first 'white colony' to leave the Empire since the exit of the United States in 1776,  the story of its independence is topsy-turvy.  Zimbabwe, formerly Rhodesia was considered on the UK's most loyal subjects.  They were the first nation to declare war on Germany in 1939 during WWII, remember that the USA entered at the tail end of of 1941. 

The declaration of Rhodesia's independence was passed with Parliament of UK's consent.  On November 11, 1986 the first flag of Rhodesia was flown, the tribar of green-white-green with a coat of arms.  However many of citizens of black-Rhodesia were terribly upset and saw it as the 'White-man's flag.'   Eventually Rhodesia was of the few colonies to revert to the Union Flag of the UK in 1980 for a short while. 

Today, many of those persons of white heritage who lived though that turbulent era, look back with a  certain kind of fondness for the old green and white flag.  Most white Rhodesians (Zimbabwians) see it in nostalgic, non-extremist, almost friendly cultural sense. 

However many extreme white pride organizations have projected this flag as an inflammatory racist symbol.  This unfortunate reputation was further abounded when Dylan Roof perpetrated the mass murder at Charleston, South Carolina Church Emanuel African Methodist Church, on June 17, 2015.  Roof had photos of himself next to Confederate, South African, and the old green-n-white Rhodesian flag.   Sadly this flag's association with hatred and suffering was further ingrained in the collective mind. 

But surely as time passes, views of the flag will perpetually change. Perhaps its best to focus on the positive?

ICV 27 - Speaker 20: Marcel Van Westerhoven

Westerhoven spoke about, polderboard flags which are flags of local pumping stations that maintained dikes across the Netherlands.   Polderboards were mostly responsible for maintaining water quality control and regulating water flow.   His paper was entitled Polderboard Flags - a Requiem for a Dream.

An interesting fact that Westerhoven states was the popularity of the clover.  According to Marcel the clover often represented dairy farming, since clovers are a favorite item of dairy cows.  Consequently as the clover is a national symbol for Ireland, could this be part of the cause for its popularity in Ireland?  Although the story of the trinity is already set by St. Patrick, maybe dairy farming in Ireland had some influence?


Originally there were about 3500 active water authority pumping stations in the Netherlands in 1850, but now there are only 22 left. It was due to modern technologies that reduced the need so many "Pump-Board Hydrolic Stations." The older Polderboards used beautiful heraldic arms to represent their pumping stations, but modern day Polderboards use logos and 'ugly' logos on flags.   In the old style these flags typically had wavy lines to represent the water and many used the colour blue to indicate water. 

ICV 27 - 25th General Assembly FIAV

 

The fairly normal congressional meeting, of yeas and nays.  Nothing much to report but business as usual.  The most exciting news brought to the table was China's to host the ICV in 2023.  It was presented by Xinfeng Zhao.  Zhao was responsible for training China flag hoisting staff for the Beijing 2008 Olympics.  If China were selected he promised that everyday would be a new venue. 

However there was one dissenting voice, of Roman Klimes, who protested the politics of China and the situation in Tibet.  There was also some concern that China did not have a strong vexillological society, as Zhao's group was more of a patriotic organization, rather than academically focus group dedicated to vexillology.  Nonetheless, it nearly set that China will host the lovely 30th International Congress of Vexillology.

There was also one call to elect a new president of FIAV, that of Alfred Z as nominated by Roman Klimes