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Kurdish Flag
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Introduction:
The aim of this document is to introduce in brief the history of the current National Flag of Kurdistan and to help those who use the Kurdish national flag to reproduce it correctly. The document contains the basic rules for the construction of the flag as well as the standard colors to be used.
Historical Background:
The National Flag was first introduced by the leaders of the Khoyboun,
("independence") movement to represent the Kurds in their struggle for
independence from the moribund Ottoman Empire. It was subsequently presented
to the members of the international delegation at the Paris Peace Conference
that devised a plan for Kurdish independence as a part of the Treaty of
Siver with Ottoman Turkey in 1920. Under the same flag the Khoyboun
announced the formation of the first "Kurdish Government in Exile" in 1927
and fought a drawn-out war until 1932, in order to revive the Kurdish national
independence, lost since 1848.
In 1946 and the creation of the Republic of Kurdistan at Mehabad,the old "sunny flag" was adopted by its parliament as the official
Flag of the Republic. Following these historic background, the National
Flag is widely adopted in Kurdistan and has been set aloft by various Kurdish
movements and entities in all sectors of the land.
The "sunny flag" has thus been consecrated by the blood of all Kurdish
patriots of this century, from tens of thousands who fell in defending
the independence movement under the Khoyboun, to the President of the Republic
of Kurdistan and his elected cabinet who were hanged in sight of this flag
by the foe. The flag was aloft when Dersim was immolated in 1938; it was
aloft when wounded Kurds on stretchers were placed before the firing squads
in 1980; it was aloft when Kurdish civilians were gassed in their thousands
in cities and towns in 1988; it was aloft when millions were driven from
their villages and towns that have been set alight since 1989; and, it
remains aloft everywhere today--150 years after the loss of Kurdish independence--when
Kurds are redoubling their perennial struggle to regain their dignity and
equality with other nations by reviving their right to choose the course
of their own future.
Description of the National Flag:
The National Flag of Kurdistan consists of a tricolor field and central
emblem.
Tricolor Field:
The Kurdish flag has three horizontal bands. The upper stripe is red, the middle one white and the bottom band green. The width of the flag is two-thirds of the length.
figure 1
National Emblem:
The primary Kurdish characteristic of the flag is the golden sun
emblem at the center. The sun emblem has a religious and cultural history
among the Kurds, stretching into antiquity. The sun disk of the emblem
has 21 rays, equal in size and shape.The number 21 holds a primary
importance in the native Yazdani religious tradition of the Kurds.
figure 2
figure 3
The sun appears in the exact center of the flag. (Figure 4)
figure 4
The sun is placed so that the flag's vertical meridian passes through its topmost point. (Figure 5)
figure 5
Regulation Colours:
The flag is in the following colors:
Red PMS 032
Green PMS 354
Yellow PMS 116
PMS = PANTONE Matching System
Prepared by: Bijan Eliasi at Kurdish Worldwide Resources (KWR).
Of consultation: Professor M. R. Izady.
Special thanks to The Flag Institute for their continuous support.
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