Juli 2 is a public holiday in Curacao: “Dia di Himno i Bandera di Korsou”. Translated: “Anthem and Flag Day of Curacao”.
Flag Day is jam-packed with great activities all over the Island, from concerts to food festivals to sports, fireworks at night, cultural parties and so much more. Cultural events take place in Willemstad’s Brionplein and in the village of Barber. The national anthem is sung, followed-up by a parade, dancers, singers, and also in attendance are government officials from the Island. Locals parade their flags, their cars are decorated in the color yellow, white and blue (the colors of the Curacao flag) and many residents hang a big Curacao flag in front of their homes.
Brionplein, Curacao. Photo by: Mathijs T. (https://www.flickr.com/photos/kiswanto/3885728839)
The first gathering of the Islands Council on July 2,1951, with which the autonomy of Curacao became a fact, is commemorated during the Dia di Bandera.
On July 2, 1984 this day was proclaimed “Dia di Himno y Bandera”. It became an official public holiday on which Curacao celebrates its autonomy.
The flag of Curacao is a blue field with a horizontal yellow stripe slightly below the midline and two white, five-pointed stars in the upper left side.
The blue symbolizes the sea and sky divided by a yellow stroke representing the bright sun, which bathes the island.
The two stars represent Curacao and Klein Curacao (little Curacao). The five points on each star symbolize the five continents from which Curacao’s people come. The Stars also represent trust and hope; the color white symbolizes peace and happiness.
After Aruba's adoption of its own flag, Curacao received approval for a flag in 1979.
In 1982 organized a competition to design the national flag. Seventeen hundred designs were submitted to a special council; ten were shortlisted, and the council decided on 29 November 1982. With some modifications, the flag designed by Martin den Dulk (only 18 years old), who won the competition, was unveiled on 2 July 1984. This became Curacao's first 'Flag Day'.
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