BellaOnline Forums Travel and Culture Polish Culture New flag for Georgia

A lot of things have been happening in the Republic of Georgia (nestled in the Caucasus mountains) since the "Revolution of Roses" led by now-president Mikhail Saakashvili in November.

Just within the past month, the new Georgian parliament adopted a new flag for the country. I really don't like it. The old one is much more historical. It was chosen for Georgia's first flag after independence from the Russian Empire in 1917, and again chosen after Georgian independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The new flag, however, is the banner Saakashvili has used for his political organization for the past few years, and also has a long history in Georgia.

The new flag:
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I like the new flag, but the old flag is historical: hard decision. How about the old Confederate Battle flag? This flag has Red and White but no black. :rolling:

I also like the new flag. Absence of black may symbolize positive thrust (no focus on death). However, how will Muslims react to byzantine cross & no crescent? Carl

I'm very surprised so many people like the new flag! I think the old flag is MUCH better.

Anyway, there are very few Muslims in Georgia, so it probably won't be an issue. In fact, Georgia was the world's second country (after only Armenia) to convert totally to Christianity.

I've found something again...

Georgians do not call themselves Georgians but Kartvelebi and their land Sakartvelo, These names are derived from a pagan god called Kartlos, said to be the father of all Georgians.
The foreign name Georgia, used throughout Western Europe, is mistakenly believed to come from the country's patron saint, St. George. Actually it is derived from the names Kurj or Gurj, by which they are known to the Arabs and modern Persians. Another theory purports that the name comes from the Greek geo (earth), because when the Greeks came to Georgia they saw the Georgians working the land. The Classical world knew the inhabitants of eastern Georgia as Iberians, thus confusing the geographers of antiquity who thought this name applied only to the inhabitants of Spain.

Source: Rosen & Foxx The Georgian Republic, 1992

There's also an interesting article about the new flag in Slate:

The first mention of the five-cross design dates back to the middle of the 14th century, when an unknown Franciscan monk wrote that the kingdom's flag was "a white-colored cloth with five red crosses." In prior centuries, Georgian kings had marched into battle brandishing a simpler flag, similar to the "St. George's cross" favored by English nationalists�a single red cross, on a white background. According to a vexillological history written by the Georgian scholar Giorgi Gabeskiria, the four extra crosses were likely added during the reign of Giorgi V (also known as "the Brilliant" or "the Splendid"), who drove out the Mongols. Around that time, Georgians founded several monasteries in the Holy Land and became widely known for their piety. The new design was ostensibly fashioned after the Jerusalem cross, a symbol used by crusaders there and adopted as a testament to Georgia's righteous reputation.

http://slate.msn.com/id/2091667/

Good sleuthing! Apparently, there is a movement in Georgia to get its foreign name changed to Sakartvelo, as well. Most Western languages use a form of Georgia, G�orgie, Gruzija... the government wants to put an end to this and have only the Georgian-language name as the official international name of the country.

Listen to Georgian pop songs:
http://ramaz.swmed.edu/Music/Georgian/V.html

Transcaucusus is integrating:
http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/index.shtml
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran & Georgia may disregard any religious conflicts & form a Transcaucasian Federation:
IMHO, USA military is in Georgia to influence events in Iran.

France's tricolor influenced flag of Armenia:
http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/am_.html#1918

I would put the Armenian Dashnaks in charge of law & order in NYC, USA. Carl


Armenian Dashnaks says ties with Turkey conditional on genocide recognition
by Noyan Tapan, 17 Jan 01
Posted: Saturday, January 20, 2001 03:53 am CST
Yerevan, 16 January: Commenting on the initiation of an Armenia-Turkey dialogue, the bureau of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation - Dashnaktsutyun ARFD on 16 January issued a statement expressing confidence that the "normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations, which is of importance to all Armenians, cannot be limited to talks among a narrow circle of officials."
The ARFD bureau stressed that Turkish diplomacy made this move conditional on inadmissible concessions in connection with the recognition of the Armenian genocide by Ottoman Turkey in 1915 and the status of Artsakh Nagornyy Karabakh, and said that "this tendency by Turkish diplomacy is a reflection of Turkey's tactical manoeuvring aimed at slowing down the pace of recognition of the Armenian genocide by the international community and increasing Ankara's chances of joining the European family".
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation - Dashnaktsutyun confirmed its adherence to the principle of resolving issues between the two countries through dialogue and said it was necessary to completely remove any preconditions for the establishment of interstate relations between Armenia and Turkey.
http://www.atour.com/~aahgn/news/20010120b.html