Blue background and 12 stars, this is the symbol on the flag of Europe. Flags always have a deeper meaning than the aesthetics that distinguish them and the European one is no different.
There flag it was officially adopted by the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe on 25 October 1955 and then by the Committee of Ministers in Paris on 8 December after months of work. Let’s go over the history and meanings in brief.
Flag of Europe: description
There European flagas banal as it is to say it, symbolizes the European Union, but on the official EU website we read how it also defines the sense of unity and identity of the people.
The flag of Europe consists of a circle of 12 golden stars on a blue background (fig.1).
Fig.1
Flag of Europe
What do stars, circle and blue color symbolize?
Every aspect of the construction of the flag of Europe it has a meaning. The circle of stars golden indicates unity, solidarity and harmony between the peoples of Europe.
The number of stars it’s not random. In fact, the 12 does not depend on the member states, but is the symbol that indicates perfection and wholeness. “12” is the number of the apostles, the months of the year, the labors of Hercules and much more. A symbolic number indeed.
The blue color wants to represent the only sky under which the European people live, while the stars they represent precisely the peoples who inhabit the same land.
The first drawing and the text of the choice: Heitz’s story
On 25 October 1955, after months of work by the commission, the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe chose the draft Arsène Heitz.
On 8 December 1955 the flag was officially presented, with the following text:
Against the blue background of the sky of the Western World, the stars represent the peoples of Europe in a circle, a symbol of unity… just as the twelve signs of the zodiac represent the entire universe, the twelve gold stars represent all the peoples of Europe – including those who cannot yet participate in building Europe in unity and peace.
The history of the flag of Europe: how it became the symbol
The history of European flag it is long and complex and it is not possible to attribute it only to the French designer Heitz. Before the birth of the flag, in 1955, the Council of Europe chose among many different designs the one that could best represent the defense of human rights and the promotion of European culture.
On the EU website there is a page dedicated to the flag and presents a brief summary of the events:
- 8 December 1955: The Council of Europe, an international human rights organization unrelated to the EU, adopts the flag for the first time;
- 11 April 1983: the European Parliament proposes that the European Communities (EEC), which later became the EU, adopt the flag;
- 28-29 June 1985: the European Council adopts the design of the European flag, with official logo status, for the Communities;
- 29 May 1986: the European flag is raised for the first time in front of the Berlaymont, headquarters of the European Commission;
- November 2015: a commemorative 2 euro coin celebrates 30 years of the European flag.
