The Flag that Never was: About Iraq’s "Proposed Flag Initiative"

Imagine walking through the Halls of the Iraqi Museum, seeing the artifacts of ancient Mesopotamia, you sense the true presence of a nation that is 6000 years old, and you wonder why all this rich history is confined in the halls of museums, and not represented on the most visible symbol of a nation-its flag?

This disconnect is what inspired a movement to rethink Iraq’s flag, the Proposed Iraqi Flag Initiative, who have designed a new flag that encompasses Iraq’s diversity and rich history.

Singular identity and outsourced colors

The current Iraqi Flag

When I was in school, I’ve always struggled with the flags of Arab countries, as most of them inherited the same four colors (Red, White, Black and Green).

Furthermore, in a sea of those Pan-Arab colored flags, could a foreigner even recognize Iraq’s? Shouldn’t it distinguish itself?

Those colors were first combined in 1916 in the flag of the Arab Revolt, they represent the Arab nationality and religion of Islam. Which were inherited in the current Iraqi flag with its red, white and black stripes and the green “Allahu Akbar” Takbir added in 1991.

Here it’s worth noting that Iraq is home for a mosaic of ethnic and religious groups, from the Kurdish communities in the North, to the Yazidi temples in Sinjar, the Christian churches of Mosul and the Turkmen villages near Kirkuk. Iraq is melting pot for diversity. Yet, its current flag only reflects a singular dimension of its demography. 

The Proposed Iraqi Flag Initiative aims to change that, by creating a flag that tells the story of Iraq in all its 6000 years, not just the last 50 years.

What Inclusivity Looks Like   If I asked you to mention a middle eastern blue and white flag, you’d probably guess Israel. However, Iraq was meant to adopt those colors for its flag back in 2004! In an attempt for a more inclusive flag, Iraqi architect Rafa’at Al-Chadirchi proposed a blue and white flag, with a golden line symbolizing the Kurds. However, the flag stirred controversy amongst Arab nationalists for its perceived resemblance to the Israeli flag, while Islamists criticized the removal of the Takbir.

Following this failed attempt, the Iraqi Governing Council settled on Iraq’s current flag as “Placeholder” that was meant to last for one year, awaiting a new design to be proposed. Leaving Iraq with unanswered questions on identity and inclusivity, questions the Iraqi Proposed Flag Initiative have been trying to answer since 2020 till now.

The proposed flag by Raf'at Al-Chadirchi The Anatomy of Representation Now you’re probably wondering, how could a 6000-year-old civilization, multiple religions and various ethnic groups all fit in a single 2:3 rectangle?

“We took a double meaning approach while designing the proposed flag” the representative of the initiative told Creative Iraq “The first symbolizes Iraq’s nature and history, while the second represents its people’s ethnic and religious diversity”.

Sounds rich and complex. Maybe that’s the point, let’s break it down.

The interpretation of each of the colors of the proposed Iraqi flag

At the heart of the flag lies Ishtar Star, the most ancient Mesopotamian symbol. With its yellow center symbolizing Kurds and Iraq’s sun, and red periphery for the blood of Martyrs, also representing Christian and Sabia’a Faiths. All Immersed in peaceful white for the first flag of Islam.  Above it flows the blue Tigris and Euphrates, a color that represents Turkmen. While Iraq’s green land is below, a color that symbolizes Arabs. Diverse Flag, Diverse Perspectives   A quick scroll at the comment section of the initiatives page, unveils the divisiveness of opinions. From flat out rejection to indifference to advocacy and support. Some expressed their anger over the erasure of the Takbir, accusing the initiative of “attempting to erase the best thing that’s ever been put on a flag". While another considered the phrase "Allah Akbar" inclusive of all groups in Iraq because "every Iraqi believes and worships Allah (God)".

One commenter noted that despite Iraq possessing "ethnic minorities" but the majority is Arab, and this majority should be represented in the flag.

Some are just more familiar with the current flag and resistant to change, while others think there are much more important problems for Iraqis, "So Iraq's issues will be fixed if we change the flag?”.

The founder of the initiative admits that the flag may not be a priority. "But it is a necessity" he clarifies "If we want an inclusive and progressive nation, the flag is one of many elements".

A rebrand of the Iraqi Airlines inspired by Lamassu

A Rebrand or Rewrite? Flag aside, if we take a look at Iraq's logos for ministries and governmental entities, they are objectively outdated and haven’t been updated since 2003.The Proposed Iraqi Flag Initiative took responsibility to design modern Mesopotamian inspired logos. Using elements such as Lamassu for the Iraqi Airways and Code of Hammurabi for the Ministry of Justice. Interestingly, these "rebrands" didn't face the same backlash as rebounding the flag itself, which proposes many questions on the sacredness of a flag and what it really means. Maybe it's as simple as the religious connotation of the Takbir, or maybe it’s something deeper.

That's the flag Iraqis fought wars under, raised in schools on Thursdays, waved at protests and soccer games. It's the flag wrapped their martyrs with. Because in the end, a flag is a symbol that belongs to the people, when you change that, you risk taking away every memory they’ve weaved through its fabric. So, is it only a redesign of a flag, or a rewriting of the Iraq’s past, present and future narrative?