Flag Institute AGM and Winter 2025 Conference

The Flag Institute is delighted to announce our next conference is taking place online and available to the worldwide FI membership.

The conference will feature a programme of contemporary and historical vexillological presentations. It will also include the AGM and the chance for members to vote on appointments and put any questions to the FI Council.

Speakers announced...

Stan Moore MA FGSI, Non-Executive Director of Genealogical Society of Ireland

40th Anniversary of the Dublin Municipal Flag

On 22 June 1885, the Dublin Municipal flag was first flown over City Hall. The Irish Times described it as green, featuring a central yellow harp and three white castles on a blue field in one corner. The design combined elements of three earlier flags: the Green Harp flag, the Green Ensign, and the armorial banner of Dublin’s coat of arms.

Until then, the armorial banner had served as the city’s flag. Its removal followed an incident on the night of 23 to 24 March, when it was stolen from the Mansion House, most likely by loyalist students from Trinity College. The theft was seen as a response to nationalist Lord Mayor John O’Conner, who declared in a speech that he would take down the flag if the Prince of Wales arrived in Dublin.

The new flag represented a shift in civic identity. It is still in use today as the official flag of Dublin City Council and flies proudly throughout the city.

Edgar Zaagsma, Papendrecht municipal official and Consul for the War Graves Foundation

Rotterdam and Papendrecht: Flag Histories and Protocols

This two-part presentation will focus first on the city of Rotterdam and then on the municipality of Papendrecht.

In part one, Edgar will explore the history of the Rotterdam flag, the development of the city's municipal coat of arms, and the presence (or absence) of Rotterdam’s colours in everyday life. In part two, he'll turn to Papendrecht, offering a brief overview of its flag and coat of arms, with particular stress on the official flag protocol written for the municipality. The presentation will highlight how and why this local protocol differs from the national approach.

Peter Kirkwood, Protocol Officer at The International Center

Raising Respect: How The International Center’s Flag Program Builds Cultural Understanding

The Flag Program of the International Center’s Office of Protocol promotes cultural awareness, civic pride, and international understanding through the proper display and care of national, state, and organisational flags. Featuring a complete United Nations flag collection and a growing number of flags and banners, the Program serves as a resource for schools, community groups, state and local governments, and visiting delegations. This presentation will explore the Program’s history, outreach, and alignment with global protocol standards. By showcasing flags as powerful symbols of respect and identity, it will highlight their enduring role in connecting nations and the communities of Central Indiana.

José Manuel Erbez, Secretary of the Spanish Society of Vexillology (Sociedad Española de Vexilología), will present SEV President Jorge Hurtado Maqueda's...

State Emblems in Greece, 5th–3rd Centuries BC

Jorge's presentation explores the use of emblematic symbols in Classical and Hellenistic Greece, examining how states expressed authority and identity through visual means during a formative period in ancient history. Structured in three parts, the study begins with a review of the surviving sources and the interpretive challenges they present. It goes on to considers how state emblems were deployed in land warfare and naval conflict, before concluding with a comparative reflection on the symbolism of the Greek and Roman worlds.
Rich in historical insight and analytical depth, this contribution from the SEV offers a fascinating perspective on early state symbolism and the origins of vexillological practice.

More details coming soon.