The President of the Republic of Liberia, His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., has by Proclamation declared Saturday, August 24, 2024 as National Flag Day and is to be observed as a National Holiday throughout the Republic. The Proclamation calls on citizens and foreign residents within the Liberian borders to give prominence to the observance of the Day by displaying the National Flag from each dwelling and public building. According to a Foreign Ministry release, all Government offices, public and business houses are to remain closed on this day.   

 The Proclamation is in consonance with an Act approved on October 25, 1915 by the National Legislature of the Republic of Liberia, declaring the 24^th Day of August of each year as “National Flag Day” to be observed as a Public Holiday. The Day is commemorated annually by all citizens of the Republic in testimony of their allegiance and loyalty to the National Ensign which is an embodiment of the nation’s 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 Mrs. Susannah Lewis who were talented and visionary citizens of the Republic at the time.

 According to the Proclamation, the making of the National 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 Proclamation also recounted that the National Ensign of the Republic of Liberia is a visible evidence of the country’s sovereignty and independence as well as a symbol of pride and dignity within the comity of nations.

 The Liberian Flag consists of six red stripes and five alternating white stripes, totaling eleven stripes, 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 white star in the center of the blue field, depicting Liberia as the then only independent state on the continent of Africa; the color red symbolizes the blood of those who died in the struggle for independence; the color white indicates the purity of mind of all our fore bearers toward each other; and the Blue for the dark continent of Africa as it was then depicted, the Proclamation  further declared.

According to the Presidential Proclamation, this year celebration will be executed by the Ministry of Education under the theme: “The flag, a symbol of one Liberia” with Olubanke King Akerele serving as the Key Note Speaker at the indoor program. The Proclamation added that activities surrounding the ceremony will include a general rehearsal involving students and other participating groups on Thursday, August 22, 2024 at the Barclay Training Center, beginning at 7: o’clock ante meridian.

“On Saturday, August 24, 2024, the indoor program commemorating the day, will be held at the Centennial Memorial Pavilion on Ashmun Street, commencing at ten o’ clock ante meridian, which comprises of a competitive drill involving thirty (30) participating schools and other groups parading from the Barclay Training Center, through the United Nations (UN) Drive to the Centenial Memorial Pavilion for the pass-in-review in the presence of the President and Vice President of the Republic of Liberia; and Members of the 55^th Legislature and other dignitaries, where the President, His Excellency, Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr., will subsequently deliver a special Flag Day message”, the Proclamation stated.