nPosted on December 3, 2017
n
Key Points
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
The term “Flag Day,” in Singapore, means the day that a particular charity goes out in full force to ask for donations.
The term “Flag Day,” in Singapore, means the day that a particular charity goes out in full force to ask for donations.n
n
n
nOf course, people can donate to a charity any day of the year – especially now that we have the internet! But each charity’s Flag Day is a day when that charity urges volunteers to set up booths or even go door-to-door, raising awareness of a particular need, informing people of their past achievements, and urging people to donate money.
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nSo…even though today is the anniversary of Singapore’s adoption of its flag, we cannot call it “Flag Day.”
n
n
n
nSingapore became self-governing within the British Empire in 1959, and this city-state / island nation needed a flag. This national symbol had to combine ideas from the diverse population – about three-quarters of Chinese descent, and minorities of Malay, Indian, and European heritage.
The past flag of Singapore looked pretty much all British:
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nIn designing the new flag, Singapore residents who had Chinese heritage wanted to echo the five stars and red color of the Chinese flag…
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Muslim activists requested the use of a crescent moon, which is common in Muslim countries but very rare in non-Muslim countries. I read that Islam is the religion of only about 14% of Singapore residents, but nearby Malaysia is majority Muslim. From 1962 to 1965, Singapore merged with Malaysia – and the seeds of this merger were no doubt very apparent during the 1969 flag design.
Muslim activists requested the use of a crescent moon, which is common in Muslim countries but very rare in non-Muslim countries. I read that Islam is the religion of only about 14% of Singapore residents, but nearby Malaysia is majority Muslim. From 1962 to 1965, Singapore merged with Malaysia – and the seeds of this merger were no doubt very apparent during the 1969 flag design.n
n
n
 |
| Singapore is located on the tip of the peninsula that is Malaysia. |
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nThe Singapore flag combines the color red, five stars, and a crescent moon:
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nThe symbolism is said to be:
n
n
n
nRed for universal brotherhood, equality of all people.
n
nWhite for everlasting purity and virtue.
n
n
n
nCrescent moon for a young nation rising in importance.
n
nFive stars to represent the national values of democracy, peace, progress, justice, and equality.
n
n
n
nBy the way…
n
n
n
nI think it is interesting that crescent moons are so often illustrated with stars or suns inside the arms of the crescent…
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n…when our actual crescent Moon is just the small sunlit portion of the moon, which is also a rocky sphere in space. So we could never see stars or anything else within the arms of the crescent – unless of course it was nearer to the Earth than the Moon!
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nSometimes Earthshine on the part of the Moon that is not lit by the Sun shows us the entire sphere, but the sphere is always there…
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nIn a flag, of course, as opposed to an illustration, including a star or sun within the arms of a crescent is just a part of good layout design.
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nAlso on this date:
n
n
n
|
n
n |
n
n
Anniversary of the discovery of Himalia
Anniversary of the discovery of Himalia n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nAnniversary of first mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nActor and storyteller Te Ata Fisher’s birthday
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nAnniversary of the first close-ups of Jupiter
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nPainter Gilbert Stuart’s birthday
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nAnniversary of the demonstration of neon lights
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nScientist and doctor Carlos Juan Finlay’s birthday
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nIllinois’s statehood anniversary
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nPlan ahead:
n
n
n
nCheck out my Pinterest pages on:
n
- n
-
n
-
n
- Historical anniversaries in December
n
n
n
nAnd here are my Pinterest boards for:
- n
-
n
-
nJanuary birthdays
n
-
n
n
n
n
n
