March 2016 – World Vexillology Day

The Croatian Heraldic and Vexillological Association (Hrvatsko grboslovno i zastavoslovno društvo – HGZD) supports the initiative to designate 1 October World Vexillology Day / Svjetskim veksilološkim danom. Welcome, HGZD!

Here’s the announcement on their website, hgzd.hr:

Portlandsko društvo za zastave (Portland Flag Association, PFA) pokrenulo je nedavno inicijaltivu proglašenja 1. listopada Svjetskim veksilološkim danom te je pozvalo druge veksilološke udruge da podrže to inicijativu i pridruže se obilježavanju Svjetskog veksilološkog dana već od ove godine.

Svjetski veksilološki dan zamišljen je kao proslava zastava i znanosti koja ih proučava (veksilologija) u organizaciji udruga i institucija koje se njome bave.

Veksilološke udruge pozvane su da na taj dan promiču svoje ciljeve u javnosti, organiziraju najrazličitija moguća događanja, od predavanja, okruglih stolova, javnog isticanja zastava i na drugi način koji nađu primjerenim.

Prema Međunarodnoj federaciji veksiloloških udruženja (FIAV) “rođenjem suvremene veksilologije obično se smatra objavljivanje prvog broja časopisa The Flag Bulletin, prvog znanstvenog časopisa za proučavanje zastava, koji je izašao 1. listopada 1961. godine, a urednici su mu bili Gerhard Grahl i Whitney Smith.” Inicijativu podrupire i niz drugih nacionalnih veksiloloških udruga, sa središnjom web stranicom na vexiday.org te Facebook stranicom World Vexillology Day.

In English:

The Portland Flag Association (PFA) recently started an initiative to designate October 1 as World Vexillology Day and invited other vexillological associations to support the idea and join in marking the World Vexillology Day already this year.

The World Vexillology Day is envisaged as a celebration of flags and their study (vexillology), organized by participating flag studies organizations and institutions.

Vexillological associations are invited on that day to promote their goals in public, to organize various events, from lectures, round tables, public flag hoistings and other manners they find appropriate.

According to the International Federation of Vexillological Associations (FIAV), “The birthday of modern vexillology is commonly recognized to be the publication of the first issue of The Flag Bulletin [the first flag studies journal] on October 1, 1961 by Gerhard Grahl and Whitney Smith.”

The initiative is supported by a number of vexillological associations, with the central web site at vexiday.org and the Facebook page at World Vexillology Day.

We are happy to announce that Vexillology Ireland / Brateolaíocht Éireann (VIBE) will be participating in World Vexillology Day. Welcome!

Here is a statement from VIBE’s Stan Zamyatin:

Flags have represented the aspirations of Irish people over centuries and reflected the political movements that have taken place on all sides. Today, flags have in many ways become the greatest symbol of identity and there are now more flags in the world than ever before. For that reason, there is no better time to start learning and designing flags than right now. Vexillology Ireland; Brateolaíocht Éireann promotes an awareness, appreciation and knowledge of Ireland’s vexillological heritage and of vexillology in general. We look forward to celebrating World Vexillology Day with our friends from around the world on 1 October, 2016.