President George Manneh Weah has, by Proclamation, declared Tuesday, August 24, 2021, as National Flag Day, and is to be observed throughout the Republic as a national holiday.
The Proclamation calls on citizens and foreign residents within the Liberian borders to give prominence to the observance of the day by flying the National Flag from each dwelling and public building.
According to a Foreign Ministry release, government offices as well as public and business houses are to be closed during the observance of the day.
The Proclamation further directed the Ministry of Education and all other government agencies concerned to execute virtual programs in keeping with the COVID-19 health protocols, while making the significance of the day meaningful, “for the Lone Star to continue to fly forever, in the spirit of unity, love, and reconciliation for one another in this glorious land, which is our common patrimony”.
The Proclamation is in consonance with an Act of National Legislature of the Republic of Liberia, which was approved on October 25, 1915, declaring the 24th day of August of each year as “National Flag Day”, to be observed throughout the Republic as a national holiday.
The release emphasized that it is important and befitting that the day is commemorated annually by all citizens of the Republic in testimony of their allegiance and loyalty to the National Ensign, the embodiment of our national existence as a sovereign entity, and to encourage national pride and patriotism.
“The National Flag was designed and produced by a committee of ladies led by Susannah Lewis, who were talented and visionary citizens of the Republic at the time,” the Proclamation further declared.
The Proclamation also stated that the making of the flag of the Republic was a historic event of great significance for Liberia as Africa’s pacesetter in the struggle for self-determination and inspiration to future African states.
The release noted that the national ensign of the Republic of Liberia is a visible evidence of the country’s sovereignty and independence as a symbol of pride and dignity within the comity of nations.
“The flag consists of six red stripes and five alternating white stripes, totaling eleven stripes with each representing one of the eleven Signers of the Declaration of Independence of Liberia. The blue field in the upper left corner of a rectangular form with a single while star in the center of the blue field, depicting Liberia as the then only independent state on the continent of Africa while the color red symbolizes the blood of those who died in the struggle for independence. The color white indicates the purity of mind and clearness of all its forebears toward each other and the blue for the dark continent of Africa as it was then depicted,” the Proclamation recounted.