Flag of the Commonwealth of Nations

The flag consists of the Commonwealth symbol in gold on a blue field. The symbol centres on a globe, representing the global nature of the Commonwealth and the breadth of its membership.

The flag developed from car pennants produced for the first time at the 1973 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, held in Ottawa, Ontario. The initiative for its design is credited to two Canadians: the first Commonwealth Secretary-General, Arnold Smith; and Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. It was officially adopted on 26 March 1976.{{cite web |url=http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/cwn.html |title=Commonwealth of Nations |first=Dean |last=Thomas |access-date=14 January 2008 |date=31 March 2004 |publisher=Flags of the World}}

File:Flag of the Commonwealth of Nations (1976–2013).svg

The original design featured a globe surrounded by 64 radiating, approximately quadrilateral, sunrays, which form a 'C' for 'Commonwealth'. The number of sunrays did not represent the number of member states (there have never been 64 members); instead, the large number represented the many ways in which the Commonwealth cooperates around the world. This flag used Pantone 286.{{cite web |url=http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Internal/37832/symbolandflag/ |title=Symbol and Flag |access-date=14 January 2008 |publisher=Commonwealth Secretariat |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080124065315/http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Internal/37832/symbolandflag/ |archive-date=24 January 2008}}

In 2013, the globe was tilted, and the number of sunrays reduced to 34. The colourings used in the flag were also slightly modified.{{cite web |url=http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/cwn.html|title=Commonwealth of Nations |publisher=Flags of the World}} The standard proportions of the flag are 3:5; however, a 1:2 version appears in countries whose flags use a 1:2 ratio, such as Australia and the UK. This flag used Pantone 280.{{Cite web |title=Commonwealth of Nations |url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/cwn.html |access-date=5 May 2020 |website=www.crwflags.com}}

The flag of the Commonwealth of Nations is flown at Marlborough House, London, the headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat, throughout the year, and for a limited period at other venues where Commonwealth meetings, events, or visits are taking place (for example, Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings).

File:Commonwealth flag Ottawa.jpg at Parliament Hill, Ottawa, in 2010|alt=]]

On 28 September 2016, the Welsh Conservative AM in the National Assembly for Wales Mohammad Asghar suggested that once the United Kingdom left the European Union, the Welsh Assembly should replace the EU Flag alongside the Union Flag and the Welsh Flag. It has been suggested that the Flag of the Commonwealth be the replacement.{{cite web |url=http://www.assembly.wales/en/bus-home/pages/plenaryitem.aspx?category=statements+of+opinion&itemid=789&c=Statements+of+Opinion |title=OPIN-2016-0016 Consulting the public on a new flag at the National Assembly for Wales |website=www.assembly.wales |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161002102758/http://www.assembly.wales/en/bus-home/pages/plenaryitem.aspx?category=statements+of+opinion&itemid=789&c=Statements+of+Opinion |archive-date=2 October 2016}} On 31 January 2020, Brexit was marked at the Gibraltar border with the lowering of the EU flag and the raising of the Commonwealth flag in its place.{{cite news |last=Culatto |first=John |title='End of An Era' to be Marked at Midnight by the Singing of EU Anthem at Gibraltar Fontier |url=https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2020/01/31/end-of-an-era-to-be-marked-at-midnight-by-the-singing-of-eu-anthem-at-gibraltar-frontier/ |access-date=2 February 2020 |work=The Olive Press |date=31 January 2020}}

Former Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon encourages the flying of the Commonwealth flag on Commonwealth Day, and the Office of the Secretary-General notes that "it is not the case that the Union Jack – or the flag of any other member country for that matter – is a substitute for the Commonwealth flag which represents the association of 53 members and their peoples."[http://makepeace.ca/commonwealth-flag.pdf Letter from the office of the Commonwealth Secretary-General, January 30, 2008] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525153024/http://makepeace.ca/commonwealth-flag.pdf |date=25 May 2011}} However, in Canada, the federal government directs its installations with a second flagpole to fly the Royal Union Flag instead, as that flag was the designated symbol in that country to represent its Commonwealth membership and allegiance to The Crown.{{cite web |url=http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/cpsc-ccsp/sc-cs/union_e.cfm |title=The Royal Union flag |access-date=14 January 2008 |date=24 September 2007 |publisher=Department of Canadian Heritage |archive-date=17 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217053302/http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/cpsc-ccsp/sc-cs/union_e.cfm |url-status=dead }}

In the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth Flag is flown on Commonwealth Day at the Scottish Parliament Building in Edinburgh, alongside the Union Flag, the Scottish saltire, and the European Union flag, which latter three flying daily.{{cite web |url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/nmCentre/news/news-01/pa01-010.htm |title=School Pupils Help Parliament Mark Commonwealth Day |access-date=14 January 2008 |date=13 March 2001 |publisher=Scottish Parliament |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090703065610/http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/nmCentre/news/news-01/pa01-010.htm |archive-date=3 July 2009}} Similar arrangements were made to fly the Commonwealth flag on Commonwealth Day, alongside the Union Flag, were made at the in Belfast in 2002.

A similar arrangement was made at the Parliament Buildings in Belfast in 2002, with the Commonwealth flag flown alongside the Union Flag on Commonwealth Day. In Gibraltar, the flag is also raised on Commonwealth Day from the third flagpole at No. 6 Convent Place, the office of the Chief Minister, alongside the Union Flag and the flag of Gibraltar.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

A ceremonial flag is used at the Commonwealth Games, the design of which has changed considerably over the years.

File:Ceremonial flag of the British Empire Games (1930–1950).svg|British Empire Games flag (1930–1950)

File:Ceremonial flag of the British Empire and Commonwealth Games (1954–1966).svg|British Empire and Commonwealth Games flag (1954–1966)

File:Ceremonial flag of the British Commonwealth Games (1970–1974).svg|British Commonwealth Games flag (1970–1974)

File:Ceremonial flag of the Commonwealth Games (1978–1998).svg|Commonwealth Games flag (1978–1998)

File:Manmohan Singh receiving the Commonwealth Games Flag from the Chairman, Organising Committee of Commonwealth Games, Shri Suresh Kalmadi, in New Delhi. The Union Minister for Panchayati Raj, Youth Affairs & Sports.jpg|Commonwealth Games flag (2002-2018)

File:Commonwealth Games Federation symbol (2019- Till Date).svg|Commonwealth Games flag (2022-present)

File:Commonwealth Day 2017 (32545205223).jpg|The Commonwealth Flag, as well as the flags of Commonwealth members, flying in Parliament Square on Commonwealth Day 2017

• British Empire flag

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{{commons category|Flag of the Commonwealth of Nations}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20041220223054/http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=37832 Commonwealth Secretariat webpage on the Commonwealth Symbol and Flag]

{{Commonwealth of Nations topics}}

{{Flags of International Organization}}

Flag

Commonwealth Of Nations

Commonwealth Of Nations