What is a flag? Why do you think a country’s flag is very important? Why do we pay so much respect for these things? When I was young, I remember my teacher always say that flags represent a country, not just the country but also the hardships, struggles and wars our ancestors fought just to achieve independence from other people who wants to colonize a country. In our history class, it will show what our ancestors have to sacrificed just to win independence. How many lives lost in the wars and how they overcome it. The flag represents the winning moment. That’s why I as a citizen pays so much respect for it. It reminds me for who I am and a remembrance for the bravery of my ancestors.
Each flag for each country has its meaning. How did they come up with the colors but also the arrangement of the colors? Each of it has its deeper meaning and it was based all of the history of each country. Let’s take a look down on memory lane on Italy’s flag and history.
il Tricolour
Italy’s flag consists of three colors. It has the green, white and red. It is a tricolor featuring three equally vertical pales. The Italian tricolor derives from the flag of France, which originated from French revolution. The green color in the flag represents hope, white represents faith and red represents love.
There are many theories and hypothesis where the selections of colors came from. One is based on landscapes or an event in history of Italy. They say the green color is linked to the color of the Mediterranean maquis. In Italy it is called macchia mediterranea. It is found in the Mediterranean region that has growing evergreen shrubs. While the white color of the flag is inspired from the color of the Alps. Alps is the highest mountain range in Europe. And the red color represents the blood split in the wars of Italian Independence and Unification.
First Sighting
The first documented use of the Italian national colors was dated on August 21, 1789. It is reported that these colors were seen on demonstrators pinned on their clothes with red, white and green cockade. It was also during the Napoleonic era where the first Italian green-white-red colored appeared. It is when Napoleon declared himself the president of Italy in 1802 and the first Italian republic is founded.
Father of Italian Flag
It was Marco Giuseppe Compagnoni that was considered the “father of the Italian flag”. It was him who propose the first of official use of the flag of Italy on January 7, 1979. He was an Italian writer and journalist.
Legal and Proper Use
The respect that Italian have with their flag there are ways on how, when and where the flag can be use. On Italian institutional offices these things should be displayed, the flag of Italian Republic with the flag of the European Union and the portrait of Italy’s president. The flag is also displayed on schools, police headquarters, justice office and central offices.
There is also a law in Italy that aims to protect the flag from any disrespect and misuse. It is said on that law that anyone who defame the flag has to pay the penalty from 1000 to 5000 euros. If someone intentionally destroys publicly will be punished and put into the prison for up two years.
These are some facts about Italy’s flag. This flag plays a very important role of the history of the republic of Italy. That’s why paying respect and taking care of it is very important. The flag does not only represent the country but also its people.