As Socrates and Ibn Khaldun say, “Man is a social creature”, this means since ancient times, people have lived together in groups; Each of these groups has determined a piece of land for its own territory, and occasionally attacked each other to develop and expand geographical boundaries and obtain more of their needs. Therefore, we have seen that conflicts and wars are inseparable events in the history of the people of the world, and in the meantime, each people, nation, tribe and group, to show their identity on their place of residence and, during wars, their flag as their own symbol has turned on.
Thus, in the definition of the flag, the United Nations utters: “The flag is the symbol and identity of people, nations, states, regions, parties and groups, and it is a continuous embodied arrogance of each.
“History of the Flag”
According to historical evidence, the age of the flag goes back to about two thousand years BC. For the first time in the Mesopotamian civilization of Kurdistan, the Median state, Sumerian, Assyrian and Median civilizations, the flag as a symbol of their power had been used. The ancient Egyptians, the Chinese Empire, Japan and the Romans also have a rich history of flag rising.
Therefore, it is clear that since ancient times, making and raising flags has become a profession of people and they have regarded it as part of their own identity and symbol.
“flag; as a symbol of the nation”
The American thinker, Michael Bilg, associates the flag with one of the main symbols of the modern nation-state and believes that the flag of the country and nation is the obvious symbol that plays a significant and continuous role in producing and preserving national discourse and identity. Michael believes that the flag is one of the main symbols of nationalism.
Throughout the twentieth century, after the end of the world wars and the creation of states and major international organizations such as the United Nations, we have seen that the flag, compared to other national symbols, has played a significant role in uniting peoples and nations. In a sense, the national flag became part of the process of creating the boundaries of the nation and the country, which society considers as the boundaries of its separation from the outside world. Thus, the flag became the core of a sacred national symbol in the twentieth century.
Therefore, the flag was held respectfully and that it was associated with the nation and the country, and they saw the nation as an extension of the flag; thus, hurting the flag portrayed itself as hurting the nation. According to diplomatic norm, the flag is raised in protocol ceremonies to welcome the president and his high-level delegation.
“Kurdistan Flag”
The Kurdistan flag is the symbol of the Kurdish liberation movement throughout history until today. Although the Kurdistan flag has a long history in different styles and colors in different parts of Kurdistan, it has been hoisted since 1919 by several Kurdish organizations and revolutions; Such as the Batlis Uprising in 1914, the Sheikh Mahmoud Hafid Revolution in 1919, the Samko Khan Shakak Revolution in 1922, the Sheikh Saeed Piran Revolution in 1925, the Hiwa Association in 1937 and the ZEKAF Association as well.
However, with some changes, the current flag was officially hoisted in December 1946, during the proclamation ceremony of the Kurdistan Republic in the square of Mahabad, and became the symbol of the Kurdistan Republic. In other words, today’s Kurdistan flag is a legacy of the independent Kurdish republic in history; therefore, it is one of the most important symbols that we must make the basis of our connection; The Kurdistan Republic flag became the umbrella for all sections of Kurdish society, who were involved in designing and serving the young republic.
Every people and nation has its own set of values and symbols; among them, the flag, which is one of the most prominent of these symbols, is of great importance and gathers all the different colors and directions around it, and becomes the focal point of meeting and connecting them all. On the other hand, if the flag as a symbol of the nation is a valuable symbol for free and state-owning peoples, it is more important for those peoples and nations that are in a stateless state such as the Kurdish people.
