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Flag of Belarus

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: General Geography

   CAPTION: Flag of Belarus

                              Flag of Belarus
   Use        National flag on land.
   Proportion 1:2
   Adopted    June 7, 1995
   Design     A green and red bicolor with an ornamental pattern charged at
              the hoist.

   The current national flag of Belarus was formally changed on June 7,
   1995, following the result of a referendum voted on by the Belarusian
   people in the previous month. This new design replaced a historical
   flag used by the Belarusian People's Republic of 1918, before Belarus
   became a Soviet Republic, and again after it regained its independence
   in 1991. The current flag is a modification of the 1951 flag used while
   the country was a republic of the Soviet Union. The 1995 flag has been
   the basis of several flags used by government bodies.

   A few groups have continued to use the previous flag, though its
   display in Belarus has been restricted by the government of president
   Alexander Lukashenko. The 1991 flag is still used in protests against
   the government and by the Belarusan diaspora. International independent
   observers have said that the referendum that selected the current flag
   did not meet democratic standards.

Design

   The national flag of Belarus, as described in a decree on June 7,
   1995,:

          is a rectangular cloth consisting of two longitudinal stripes:
          red upper stripe and green lower stripe that are two-thirds and
          one-third of the flag width respectively. A vertical
          red-on-white Belarusian decorative pattern, which occupies
          one-ninth of the flag's length, is placed against the flagstaff.
          The flag’s ratio of width to length is 1:2. The flag is fixed on
          a flagstaff painted golden (ochre).

   The flag does not differ significantly from the flag of the
   Byelorussian SSR, other than the removal of the hammer and sickle and
   the red star, and the reversal of red and white in the hoist pattern.
   The only thing that was not mentioned in the decree is the width of the
   red ornament pattern in the white strip. One suggestion that was given
   is that the width of the red ornament is 1/12th of the width of the
   flag.

   The red color of the flag signifies the past history of Belarus, as the
   colour used by the Belarusian forces at the Battle of Grunwald, and of
   the Red Army when they were fighting Nazi Germany during World War II.
   Green stands for the bright future ahead of Belarus, and also
   represents the many forests located in the country. While the colors of
   the flag are red, green, and white, the exact shades have not been
   determined by either law or decree. Several websites and publications,
   such as the Flags of the World and Album des pavillons nationaux et des
   marques distinctives, have estimated the colour shades in either the
   Pantone colour scheme, or as CMYK colour model or RGB values.
   Construction sheet of the Belarusian flag
   Construction sheet of the Belarusian flag

                 Scheme    Red    Green     White    Source
                 Pantone 1795c   370c    Safe
                 RGB     255-0-0 0-153-0 255-255-255
                 Pantone 485     3405    Safe

Hoist ornament pattern

   Decorative pattern
   Enlarge
   Decorative pattern

   There is a decorative pattern displayed on the hoist of the flag (and
   previously on the 1951 flag). Designed in 1917 by Matrena Markevich,
   the pattern is commonly used in Belarus to show local plants and
   flowers. These patterns are also woven into outfits, and also used for
   a traditional woven craft called rushniks. Rushniks are traditional
   towels decorated with the ornamental pattern that are used for
   ceremonial events. An example of their use would be a host offering his
   guests bread and salt, which would then be served on a rushnik.
   Rushniks are also used at religious services, funerals, and other
   social functions. On the current flag, the ornamentation is used to
   symbolize the cultural past, and the unity of the Belarusian people.

Finial

   A flag finial is an ornament that is placed on top of the flagstaff as
   a piece of decoration. Belarusian law states that if the flag is used
   by government bodies for certain occasions, such as ceremonies and
   other solemn events, the Belarusian flag is to use a finial. The finial
   is shaped like a diamond, and at the bottom portion of the finial is a
   gold star. The star, according to law, has five points and must be of
   the same design as the one in the Belarusian coat of arms. The entire
   finial is of a golden colour with a golden shaft where the pole can be
   slid into the base of the finial. If the flag belongs to a military
   organization, ribbons can be placed on this golden shaft. The finial is
   similar in design to that previously used with the Soviet flag, except
   that the Soviet-era finial was silver-colored and had a hammer and
   sickle and star placed in the cut area.

Proper flag protocol

   The flag waving (left) at the Belarusian State University Law Facility
   Enlarge
   The flag waving (left) at the Belarusian State University Law Facility

   By law, the Belarusian flag is supposed to be flown daily, weather
   permitting, from the following locations:
     * National Assembly of Belarus
     * Council of Ministers of Belarus
     * Courts of Belarus, and offices of local executive and
       administrative bodies
     * Above buildings in which sessions of local Councils of deputies are
       carried out
     * Military bases or military ships owned by the government
     * Buildings used by Belarusian diplomats

   The Belarusian flag is also officially flown on these occasions:
     * Sessions of local executive and administrative bodies
     * Voting/polling places
     * Sports arenas during competitions (note that the IOC has its own
       rules on flag display)

   The flag is also displayed on vehicles used by Belarusian diplomats and
   various government officials (such as the President and the Prime
   Minister).

   The law allows for the flag to be used for special occasions, such as
   memorial services, and family holidays, and it can be used by various
   groups of people, such as public organizations, companies, and NGOs.
   The regulations were issued in the same decree that created the
   Belarusian flag. May 15 has been declared the Day of the National
   Emblem and Flag of Belarus (День Государственного герба и
   Государственного флага Республики Беларусь). The national flag itself
   has been incorporated into the badge of the guard units in the
   Belarusian armed forces.

Historical flags

The Soviet flag of 1951

   Flag of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, 1951 to 1991
   Enlarge
   Flag of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, 1951 to 1991

   The flag of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic was adopted by
   decree on 25 December 1951.

   The flag had a length to width ratio of one to two (1:2), just like the
   flag of the Soviet Union (and the other fourteen union republics). The
   main portion of the flag was red (representing the Revolution), with
   the rest being green (representing the Belarusian forests). A pattern
   of white drawn on red decorated the hoist portion of the flag; this
   design is often used on Belarusian traditional costumes. In the upper
   corner of the flag, in the red portion, a gold hammer and sickle was
   added, with a red star outlined in gold above it. The hammer
   represented the worker, and the sickle the peasant; according to Soviet
   ideology, these two symbols crossed together symbolized co-operation
   between the two classes. The red star, a symbol commonly used by
   Communist parties, was said to stand either for the five social groups
   (workers, youth, peasants, military, and academics), the five known
   continents, or the five fingers of the worker's hand. The hammer,
   sickle and star were sometimes not displayed on the reverse of the
   flag.

Previous flags of the Soviet era

   Before 1951, several different flags had been in use since the
   Revolution. The earliest flag was plain red, and was used in 1919
   during the existence of the Lithuanian-Byelorussian SSR. After the
   formation of the Byelorussian SSR, the lettering ССРБ (SSRB) was added
   in gold to the top hoist. This design was changed in 1937, when a
   hammer and sickle and red star were placed above the letters; at the
   same time, the typeface was changed, and the text of the lettering was
   altered to БССР (BSSR). During the 1940s, the hammer and sickle and red
   star were removed from the flag, and a gold border was added to the
   letters. This flag remained in use until the adoption of the 1951 flag.

                 1919

                     1919 to 1937

                                 1937 to 1940s

                                              1940s to 1951

The white-red-white flag

   Former flag in use in 1918, between 1942 and 1944 (during German
   occupatin) and between 1991 and 1995
   Enlarge
   Former flag in use in 1918, between 1942 and 1944 (during German
   occupatin) and between 1991 and 1995

   The flag used between 1991 and 1995 had originally been devised by the
   Belarusian People's Republic (March to December 1918). The colors of
   flag were based on those of the Republic's coat of arms, which had a
   white horseman on a red background, and allude to the name of the
   country: White Russia ( White Ruthenia). This flag design is known in
   Belarusian as the Бел-чырвона-белы сьцяг (bieł-čyrvona-bieły ściah).

   The historical origin of this flag's design are not known, but two
   theories have been presented. One theory is that the banner was
   designed simply to distinguish the forces of the White Rus from those
   of the Princes of Kiev and Muscovy. This was done by placing the colour
   red, which the Rus preferred, on a background of white. Another theory,
   which is also the traditional explanation, is that in 1410, when the
   united armies of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, defeated the
   Germans of the Teutonic Order at the Battle of Grunwald. According to
   this tradition, a wounded Belarusian knight tore off a blood soaked
   bandage and raised it as a banner of victory.

   Variations of this flag were used during the Belarusian People's
   Republic. Lasting from 1919 until 1925, the flag of the BPR retained
   white, red, white design, but with the addition of black stripes at the
   top and bottom of the red stripe.

   This flag was also used by collaborators during the Nazi occupation of
   Belarus, and it appeared on arm patches of Belarusian volunteers in the
   German Army and Waffen SS.

Use of the flag since 1995

   From 1991 until the controversial referendum in 1995, the
   white-red-white flag was used as the national flag. However, despite
   the adoption of new national symbols after the referendum, the flag has
   continued to be used both inside and outside of Belarus. Currently, the
   flag is often used as a symbol of protest against President
   Lukashenko's government. However, any display of the flag in Belarus is
   usually removed by local police. Those who use the flag, such as
   activist Khristina Shatikova, were beaten by the police and fined using
   the flag in Vitebsk.

   Some of the groups using this flag as a protest include Zubr and the
   Belarusian Popular Front. The official reason for outlawing the
   white-red-white flag is that the symbol was used by the Nazi
   collaborators during the World War II. .

   Also, the 1991 flag made an appearance in a video game relating to the
   1998 Winter Olympics ice hockey tournament. The flag was used on the
   uniforms of the Belarusian hockey players and was used as a banner
   image behind the players during the playing of the national anthems. In
   a bit of irony, the anthem that was paired with the flag was the Hymn
   of the Soviet Union.

The 1995 referendum

   President Lukashenko's proposed design for the flag
   Enlarge
   President Lukashenko's proposed design for the flag

   The referendum that was held to adopt the state symbols took place on
   May 14, 1995. With a voter turnout of 64.7%, the new flag was approved
   by a ratio of three to one (75.1% to 24.9%). The other three questions
   were also passed by the voters. The way of carrying out the referendum
   was heavily criticized by the opposition. Also, actually only 48.6% of
   the total electorate approved of the new emblem, since over a third of
   the eligible voters did not express an opinion. Some claim that this
   failure to win a majority is a violation of the Law, but the
   imperfection and incompleteness of the Belarusian Law cannot resolve
   the issue.

   President Lukashenko had tried to hold a similar referendum before, in
   1993, but failed to get parliamentary support. Two months before the
   May 1995 referendum, Lukashenko proposed a flag design that consisted
   of two small bars of green and one wide bar of red. While it is not
   known what became of this suggestion, new designs (called "projects" in
   Belarus) were suggested a few days later, which were then put up to
   vote in the 1995 referendum.

Other related flags

   Presidental standard
   Enlarge
   Presidental standard

   Since the introduction of the 1995 flag, several other flags adopted by
   government agencies or bodies have been modeled on it.

   President Lukashenko has adopted a standard for his personal use. The
   standard, which has been in use since 1997, was adopted by a decree
   called "Concerning the Standard of the President of Republic of
   Belarus". The standard's design is an exact copy of the Belarusian
   flag, with the addition of the Belarusian coat of arms in the centre.
   The arms, which are five-sixths of the standard's length, are colored
   in red and outlined in gold. The standard's ratio (5:6) differs from
   that of the national flag, making the standard almost square. It is
   used at buildings and on vehicles to denote the presence of the
   president.

   In 2001, President Lukashenko issued a decree granting a flag to the
   Armed Forces of Belarus. The flag, which has a ratio of 1:1.7, has the
   national ornamental pattern along the length of the hoist side of the
   flag. On the front of the flag is the Belarusian coat of arms, with the
   wording УЗБРОЕНЫЯ СІЛЫ ("Armed Forces") arched over it, and РЭСПУБЛІКІ
   БЕЛАРУСЬ ("Republic of Belarus") written below; the text of both is in
   gold. On the reverse of the flag, the centre contains the symbol of the
   armed forces, which is a red star surrounded by a wreath of oak and
   laurel. Above the symbol is the phrase ЗА НАШУ РАДЗІМУ ("For our
   Motherland"), while below is the full name of the military unit.
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Belarus"
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