New Flag for Libya?

The flag of the Kingdom of Libya was adopted when Libya gained independence in 1951 from Italy. It consisted of a white crescent-and-star on a triband red-black-green design, with the central black band being twice the width of the outer bands. Today, the former flag is being used as a symbol of resistance to the government of Muammar al-Gaddafi during the 2011 protests and by the Libyan opposition abroad.

The design was based on the Senussi flag, which consisted of a black field and crescent-and-star design. The red represented the region of Fezzan, while the green came from the banner of Tripolitania. The red could also symbolise the blood of the people, and the green the colour of Islam and a symbol of prosperity. The crescent and the star is a traditional symbol in many Arabic Muslim countries. It was unanimously voted on by all the different tribes in Libya. This flag is used by some of the protesters taking part in the 2011 uprising against the rule of Muammar al-Gaddafi.

Utah Corrects its State Flag

Utah almost has a new state flag. Actually, it is the old state flag approved back in 1913 — but a mistake by a flagmaker in 1922 altered it into the design that most people have seen and known for decades.

“We’re fixing an 88-year-old mistake,” said Rep. Julie Fisher, R-Fruit Heights, who speeded HCR2 through both houses of the Legislature Wednesday. Then, because the bill is not in the official form required for signing, Gov. Gary Herbert did a ceremonial signing as scores of elementary school children watched the process as a civics lesson.

Fisher said that back in 1922, Dolly McMonegal made a finely embroidered copy of the flag for the state at a time when most flags were handmade. But McMonegal either made the shield on it too small or the word “Utah” within it too big — leaving no room in the shield for “1847” – the year when the Mormon pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley.

So she put the “1847” beneath the shield, even though the law required it to be in the shield, Fisher said. Facsimiles became popular, and no one ever corrected the mistake.

A New Flag in Africa: South Sudan

Flag of South Sudan

The flag of Southern Sudan was adopted following the signing of the Peace Agreement that ended the second Sudanese civil war. The flag was previously used as the flag of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM).

The flag is very similar to the Kenyan flag with the addition of a blue triangle and gold star. The colors represent the Southern Sudanese people (black), the blood shed for freedom (red), the land (green) and the waters of the Nile (blue); the gold star (The Star of Bethlehem), represents the unity of the various states and peoples of South Sudan.

In January 2011, a referendum on Independence for South Sudan is scheduled to the held.

South Korea & Taiwan Flag Burning Controversy

(AFP) Nov. 20, 2010

SEOUL - SOUTH Korea's foreign ministry expressed concern to Taiwan on Saturday over the burning of its flag and boycotts of its products in a heated row over Taekwondo at the Asian Games, local media said.
Taiwanese fighter Yang Shu-chun was disqualified from the Games on Wednesday for wearing extra sensors in her socks, sparking fury in her home island, where irate fans have blamed South Korean judges for kicking her out. Taiwanese protesters have been burning South Korean flags on the streets of Taipei in reaction to this disqualification.

Myanmar gets new flag, official name, anthem

YANGON (Reuters) – Myanmar's ruling military changed the country's flag, national anthem and official name on Thursday, just over two weeks before the country's first election in 20 years, state media said.
The changes were outlined in a new constitution published in 2008 but the government had not announced a date for their introduction.
The country's new name is the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, instead of the Union of Myanmar.

Mexican Flag

The Flag of the United Mexican States or Mexico is a vertical tricolor of green, white, and red with the national coat of arms charged in the center of the white stripe. While the meaning of the colors has changed over time, these three colors were adopted by Mexico following independence from Spain during the country's War of Independence.

The current flag was adopted in 1968, but the overall design has been used since 1821, when the First National Flag was created. The Mexican flag is flown by Mexicans and many Mexican-Americans.

The Dominican Republic Flag

The flag of the Dominican Republic features a centered white cross that extends to the edges and divides the flag into four rectangles, the top ones are blue and red, and the bottom ones are red and blue.

A small coat of arms featuring a shield supported by a bay laurel branch and a palm frond is at the center of the cross; above the shield, a blue ribbon displays the national motto: Dios, Patria, Libertad (God, Fatherland, Liberty). Below the shield, the words "República Dominicana" appear on a red ribbon.

The Puerto Rican Flag

The Puerto Rican flag was created on December 22, 1895 by pro-Independence patriots in New York City. Although outlawed by Spanish and U.S. authorities, a Dark-Blue version was declared official in 1952 by the Commonwealth government.

Flags used by pro-Independence and patriotic groups use a Sky-Blue, while pro-Commonwealth and pro-Statehood groups use darker shades to highlight an association to the U.S. The 1952 version uses a Dark-Blue shade. A popular nickname for the Puerto Rican flag is "La monoestrellada" (The Lone Star Flag).

Welcome to the MetroFlags Blog!

Thank you for visiting the new MetroFlags Blog. MetroFlags, Inc. is an online flag provider that also seeks to advance and promote Vexillology, the study of flags. With this blog, we hope to educate, inspire, and generate discussions about flags, their symbols, meanings, uses, designs, and controversies. We believe that people should learn about, not just their own flags, but the flags of the world, particularly contemporary flags that are seen in media, parades, marches, and protests around the world. We will also provide various flag-related resources for those that want to learn more.

Again, thank you very much.

J. Hernandez
MetroFlags Blogger
MetroFlags, Inc.