Wikipedia

International Federation of Vexillological Associations

The International Federation of Vexillological Associations (French: Fédération internationale des associations vexillologiques; FIAV) is an international federation[4] of 53 regional, national, and multinational associations and institutions across the globe that study vexillology, which FIAV defines in its constitution as "the creation and development of a body of knowledge about flags of all types, their forms and functions, and of scientific theories and principles based on that knowledge."[5]

International Federation of
Vexillological Associations
Formation7 September 1969; 54 years ago (1969-09-07)
TypeInternational association
HeadquartersHouston, Texas, U.S.
London, England, UK[1]
Membership
51 associations and institutions[2]
Official languages
English, French, German, Spanish[1]
Željko Heimer[3]
Websitefiav.org Edit this at Wikidata
Michel R. Lupant, former president of FIAV.

History edit

The study of flags, or vexillology, was formalised by Whitney Smith in 1957.[6] He then moved to organize various flag organisations and meetings including the first International Congress of Vexillology[6] in 1965[7] and International Federation of Vexillological Associations.[6]

The FIAV was provisionally organized on 3 September 1967, at the Second International Congress of Vexillology held in Rüschlikon, Switzerland, and officially created on 7 September 1969, at the Third International Congress of Vexillology held in Boston, Massachusetts, US. The vexillological symbols were created by vexillologist Whitney Smith and then adopted by the FIAV in the early 1970s.[8]

Governance edit

FIAV has a three-person Board consisting of a President, Secretary-General, and Secretary-General for Congresses.[1] The Board manages the current affairs of FIAV and convenes the biennial sessions of the General Assembly,[1] which are held during each International Congress of Vexillology.[9] The FIAV General Assembly is composed of a delegate from each of FIAV's members. The General Assembly elects the Board and is responsible for setting policy.[1]

Officers edit

The current members of the FIAV Board are:

  • Željko Heimer (President)
  • Bruce Berry (Secretary–General)
  • Graham Bartram (Secretary–General for Congresses)[3]

Past officers edit

Office of FIAV President was previously held by:

Members edit

Current members of FIAV are:[2]

Abrv. Name Country (& Territory) Date of Admission
AAV   Argentina Vexillology Association   Argentina August 23, 1993
ACV   Catalonian Vexillological Association [ca]   Spain (  Catalonia) May 28, 1985
BDA   Burgee Data Archives   Canada August 14, 1997
BHVS   Bulgarian Heraldry and Vexillology Society [bg]   Bulgaria August 6, 2013
BS   Bandiere Storiche ONLUS   Italy August 6, 2013
CBFA   Chesapeake Bay Flag Association   United States (  Delaware,   Washington DC,   Maryland,   New Jersey,   Pennsylvania,   Virginia,   West Virginia) July 3, 1995
CEBED   Belgo-European Studies Center for Flags   Belgium August 23, 1993
CFA   The Canadian Flag Association   Canada August 23, 1993
CIDEC   Foundation Interdisciplinary Center for Cultural Studies   Argentina August 23, 1993
CISV   Italian Centre of Vexillological Studies   Italy September 14, 1973
CONAVEX   Corporación Nacional de Vexilología de Chile [es]   Chile July 16, 2019
CVS   Czech Vexillological Society [cs]   Czech Republic August 23, 1993
DGF   German Vexillological Association   Germany August 12, 1997
FHF   Flag Heritage Foundation   United States July 28, 2003
FI   The Flag Institute   UK June 24, 1971
FOTW   Flags of the World Worldwide (Based in   Canada) July 23, 2001
FRC   The Flag Research Center [es]   United States September 7, 1969
FSA   Flag Society of Australia   Australia May 28, 1985
GHVI Institute of Genealogy, Heraldry and Vexillology   Lithuania July 12, 2022
GSI   Genealogical Society of Ireland   Ireland May 28, 1985
GWAV   Great Waters Association of Vexillology[a]   United States (  Illinois,   Indiana,   Kentucky,   Michigan,   Ohio) July 29, 1999
HGZD Croatian Heraldic and Vexillological Association   Croatia August 7, 2007
HS   Heraldica Slovenica   Slovenia August 23, 1993
HVK Heraldic Society "The Clover Leaf" [de]   Germany August 23, 1993
IHW   Institute of Heraldry and Vexillology [pl]   Poland July 23, 2001
IVA   Indian Vexillological Association   India August 7, 2007
JAVA   Japanese Vexillological Association   Japan July 23, 2001
KVV   Breton Vexillology Society [fr]   France (  Brittany) August 12, 1997
NAVA   North American Vexillological Association North America (  United States &   Canada) September 7, 1969
NEVA   New England Vexillological Association   United States (  Connecticut,   Maine,   Massachusetts,   New Hampshire,   Rhode Island,   Vermont) July 29, 1999
NF   Nordic Flag Society   Nordic Europe (  Denmark,   Finland,   Iceland,   Norway,   Sweden) September 14, 1973
NVvV   Dutch Association for Vexillology [nl]   Netherlands September 7, 1969
NZFA   New Zealand Flag Association   New Zealand July 3, 1995
MGD   Macedonian Heraldic Society   North Macedonia July 16, 2019
PFA   Portland Flag Association   United States (  Oregon) August 6, 2013
PH   Partioheraldikot r.y.   Finland May 28, 1985
PTW   Polish Vexillology Society [ru]   Poland July 3, 1995
RCVH   Russian Centre of Vexillology and Heraldry   Russia July 28, 2003
SAVA   Southern African Vexillological Association   Southern Africa (  Angola,   Botswana,   Lesotho,   Madagascar,   Malawi,   Mozambique,   Namibia,   South Africa,   Eswatini,   Zambia,   Zimbabwe) July 2, 1991
SCHG   State Council of Heraldry at the Parliament of Georgia   Georgia August 2, 2011
SEV   Spanish Society of Vexillology   Spain June 29, 1979
SFV   French Society of Vexillology   France July 1, 1991
SGHAPG   Society of Genealogy, Heraldry and Archivist "Paul Gore"   Moldova July 23, 2001
SSV   Swiss Society for Vexillology    Switzerland September 7, 1969
SVB   Belgium Vexillology Society   Belgium June 29, 1979
SVI   Flag Data Center   Czech Republic July 28, 2003
SVPR   Rotterdam Flag Parade Foundation [nl]   Netherlands August 2, 2011
THVA Transylvanian Heraldic and Vexillological Association   Romania (  Transylvania) July 12, 2022
UHT   Ukrainian Heraldry Society   Ukraine July 3, 1995
VAST   Vexillological Association of the State of Texas   United States (  Texas) July 23, 2001
VRCC   Vexillological Research Center of China   China July 16, 2019
VSS Vexillological Society (Singapore)   Singapore July 12, 2022
WVRI   World Vexillological Research Institute   Germany August 23, 1993

International Congresses of Vexillology edit

The International Congress of Vexillology is a week long biennial conference. A Congress consists of vexillology presentations, FIAV's General Assembly and flag display tours.[9]

Since 1969, FIAV has sponsored the biennial International Congresses of Vexillology (ICV) with assistance of a local organizing committee.[10] The Congresses have been held in:

ICV 30 is planned to be held in Beijing (China) in 2024.

FIAV flag edit

The FIAV flag was initially designed by Klaes Sierksma and slightly modified by the organizing committee of the Second International Congress of Vexillology. The flag was introduced on 3 September 1967. Its description is, "On a blue field, extending horizontally from hoist to fly, two yellow halyards forming two interlaced loops." The knot formed is a sheet bend. The color blue is defined as Pantone Matching System U293 and the color yellow is defined as Pantone Matching System U123. Flags for the three officers were approved in 1999, having been designed by the former FIAV president, William Crampton.[14]

FIAV Honours and Medals edit

Many awards and medals are given out to members of the FIAV or members of an FIAV associated Organization for various reasons.[15] The two medals that come with post-nominals are the LAUREATES OF THE FEDERATION who get LF and the FELLOWS OF THE FEDERATION who get FF.

In 1989 FIAV established The Vexilon, an award given for the most important contribution to vexillology in the two years before an International Congress of Vexillology. As of 2024, 17 awards have been given out to notable vexillologists such as William Crampton, Whitney Smith, and Alfred Znamierowski. Frederick Brownell, who designed the South African Flag,[16] received the award twice.[17]

Notes edit

  1. ^ Defunct since April 4, 2013

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f "FIAV Constitution". FIAV. 2009-09-11. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  2. ^ a b "FIAV Membership List". FIAV. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "FIAV Officers". FIAV. 2009-09-11. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  4. ^ "About vexillology". Vexillology. The Flag Institute. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  5. ^ "FIAV home page". Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Vulliamy, Elsa (December 15, 2015). "Which flag is it? Take our quiz to find out". The Independent. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  7. ^ "Consider Vexillology". SemiotiX. Semioticon. May 2013. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  8. ^ "FIAV Flag Information Symbols". www.crwflags.com. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  9. ^ a b Koziol, Michael (September 1, 2015). "World experts fly the flag in Sydney". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  10. ^ Mercer, Phil (14 July 2015). "What do our flags say about us?". www.bbc.com. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
  11. ^ "ICV27 - London 2017". 27th International Congress of Vexillology. Flag Institute. Archived from the original on 29 August 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  12. ^ Biediger, Shari (July 4, 2019). "Dixie Flag Stitches Banners with Pride and Patriotism". Rivard Report. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
  13. ^ "ICV29 - Ljubljana 2022". 29th International Congress of Vexillology. Heraldica Slovenica. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  14. ^ "FIAV - Fédération internationale des associations vexillologiques". Flags of the World. 9 September 2011. Retrieved 2013-08-27.
  15. ^ "Awards and Honors". North American Vexillological Association. Archived from the original on Aug 17, 2021.
  16. ^ "Fred Brownell: The man who made South Africa's flag". BBC News. 26 April 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-04-27. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  17. ^ "The Vexillon". International Federation of Vexillological Associations. July 14, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2024.

External links edit

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=International_Federation_of_Vexillological_Associations&oldid=1225044167"