
Last modified: 2020-07-31 by ian macdonald
Keywords: commission | iraq | new emblem | 
Links: FOTW homepage |
search | 
disclaimer and copyright | 
write us | 
mirrors
Ali Shlah, President of the Commission of the Cultural Affairs at the Iraqi 
National Parliament, has announced that the adoption of a new national flag and 
of a new national anthem is expected before the end of the year. The two new 
emblems will be "a factor of unification" of the country, in the context of the 
celebration of the 10th anniversary of the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime in 
2003.
The Parliament set up a Commission to study different proposals; according to 
the Parliament website, the new flag shall "look towards future with optimism 
and gaze upon history with pride".
Some proposed to reestablish the flag adopted after the 1958 Revolution and the 
proclamation of the Republic by Abd al-Karim Qasim. Objections were quickly 
raised because of the personality of Qasim, who "symbolizes bygone day". This 
solution was eventually dismissed and artists were asked to draft flag 
proposals. The current flag, however, might be keep as it is. Shlah recalled 
that the today's official flag has "nothing to to do with Saddam Hussein's 
banner", since it was significantly modified since 2003. 
Source:
http://www.liberation.fr/depeches/2012/09/23/en-quete-d-unite-l-irak-se-cherche-un-nouveau-drapeau-et-un-nouvel-hymne_848219 
- "Libération", 23 September 2012
Ivan Sache, 25 September 2012
I would like to draw your attention the following article from the Kurdish 
newspaper website Rudaw. It explains why, despite a few attempts, there is still 
no new Iraqi flag, to follow up the one which was adopted in 2008 and was meant 
to be a temporary flag. Please click here for the full article:
http://rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/18122013. 
Jos Poels, 20 December 2013