Detachable Subdivision
"Rivne Professional College of
National University of Life
and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine"
On August 23, annually, since 2004, Ukraine honors one of the three key state symbols – the blue-and-yellow flag. It is also a national symbol. A symbol of our Ukrainian identity. A symbol of the struggle for freedom.
The holiday was established to honor the centuries-old history of Ukrainian statehood, the state symbols of independent Ukraine, and to foster respect among citizens for the state symbols of Ukraine. At the national level, the holiday was established by the decree of the President of Ukraine "About the National Flag Day of Ukraine» dated 08/23/2004. In 2009, amendments were made to this decree, and an annual official flag-raising ceremony was established on August 23 throughout Ukraine.
History of the national flag of Ukraine. Among the flags of Kyivan Rus, red color prevailed - the most convenient for signaling during battle. However, the national (state) flag in its modern sense can be considered to have appeared during the existence of the Cossack state. The most famous of the hetman flags is associated with the name of Bohdan Khmelnytsky (it was white). The combination of blue and yellow colors on the national flag can be observed from the middle of the 19th century.
The establishment of the blue-and-yellow flag as the state flag occurred with the proclamation of the Ukrainian People's Republic (UNR). Then in the history of Ukraine there was a period of red "hammer and sickle", and for the blue-and-yellow they were put in prison.
In modern times, the national blue-and-yellow flag was first officially hoisted over the Stryi city hall on March 14, 1990. In Kyiv, the flag was raised over the city hall later – on July 24, 1990. On August 23, 1991, a group of people's deputies brought the blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flag into the session hall of the Verkhovna Rada, and on September 4, it was solemnly raised over the parliament building.
For all of us, the blue-and-yellow flag is not just a flag. It is a symbol of the courage of many generations of Ukrainians who fought for the independence of their state, it is an example of the heroism of our defenders, it is a tribute to the memory and respect of people who worked for the development of our country.
Today, the flag is with our military on their shoulder chevrons, in backpacks and at positions. They carefully sign it with their call signs for their brothers in memory. It flutters over the free and liberated cities of Ukraine. And Ukrainians in the occupied territories are waiting for it to proudly fly again in their cities, towns and villages.
You can learn more about the state symbol of Ukraine and its centuries-old history by browsing the literature in the library and information center.
Galyna PETRENKO,
Lead Librarian of the BIC
