The Flag Institute:
Flag Institute Spring 2024 Conference

We’re delighted to announce the Flag Institute Spring 2024 Conference will be held in the Library Room, Conway Hall, on Saturday 18 May, 10am–4.30pm.

Doors open at 9.30am. Tickets: £15.

The programme will feature our usual mix of contemporary and historical vexillological presentations.

SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED…

Graham Bartram FFI FVAST, Chief Vexillologist, Flag Institute

A Flag for a Polluted World: Antarctica Flag Redesign Proposal

Graham designed the flag for Antarctica in 1996 to symbolise its role as a hub for scientific collaboration, peaceful co-existence and nature conservation. Yet Antarctica now has another distinctive attribute – it is facing a serious threat from plastic pollution, which is harming its wildlife, its environment and its future. Graham’s presentation will examine his proposed redesign of the Antarctic flag to highlight this escalating problem.

John Cartledge, Flag Institute

Flags and the Law in England

Special preview of presentation to be delivered at the 30th International Congress of Vexillology in Beijing, 12-19 August 2024

John will explore the principal regulations and protocols governing the design and use of flags in England. Although there are some statutory requirements, in domestic and/or international law, most flag-related “rules” in England are the product of tradition and common practice, which in some instances can be traced back for centuries and are derived from the medieval science of heraldry. This presentation will focus on England because for constitutional and historical reasons, law and practice relating to flags differ in detail between the nations of Britain.

Geoff Parsons, The Heraldry Society

Flags of the Southern Regions of South America and of the Antarctic Territories

Geoff will report on his recent trip to an area of the globe rich in history and flag culture. After boarding the MS Oosterdam in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Geoff visited the Falkland Islands, transited the Drake Passage and took in several Antarctic research bases. He then continued via Cape Horn, the Beagle Channel, the Magellan Strait and the Chilean fjords, before disembarking in Santiago, Chile. Geoff will review the national and local flags flown at the ports of call, the flags flown by th e MS Oosterdam and those flown at the Antarctic bases.

Brian Cham, Flag Design Consultant, North American Vexillological Association

Unravelling the Tino Rangatiratanga Flag (Māori Flag) through the Eyes of Its Designer

The Tino Rangatiratanga flag is the flag of the Māori people of Aotearoa New Zealand. Designed in 1989, the flag has come a long way from a napkin doodle to a national icon but has also garnered controversy. Brian talked with Linda Munn, its last living creator, to share her perspective on the flag and its story. Both contributors are proud to share this part of their homeland’s culture.

Patrick Rennie, President, Mars Society UK

Interplanetary Flag Design: A New Flag for Mars

The Mars Society is a worldwide organisation dedicated to furthering the human exploration and settlement of the planet. In this interactive session, Patrick will introduce us briefly to the Mars Society UK, the current Mars flag and previous attempts to design one, before we take a look at some new proposals and have a stab at our own redesign.