flag day

Yesterday was Flag Day in the Faroe Islands.

Across the islands people flew the Faroese flag.

Flag Day in the Faroe Islands is an annual event on 25 April. It is a Public Holiday and it always includes parades, speeches, and brass music.

It marks the day when BBC announced that Faroese vessels should use their own flag Merkið when at sea. As BBC aired the news in several languages, the message reached all corners of the world.

The flag of the Faroe Islands is an offset cross, representing Christianity. It follows the traditions of other Nordic flags, such as the Dannebrog (Flag of Denmark).

The flag is called Merkið, meaning “the banner” or “the mark”. It was designed in 1919 by Jens Oliver Lisberg and other students in Copenhagen.

Merkið was first used for sporting events and other cultural gatherings.

The Faroese flag design includses the Nordic cross and the colours red, white, and blue. The red and blue are endemic in traditional Faroese clothing and consider the islands’ close connection to Iceland and Norway, whose flags also bear these colours. The white background symbolised waves breaking onto the Faroese shores.

We received a printout of road closures a few days prior to Flag Day. We journeyed south to the island of Sandoy for the day.

Upon arrival in Sandoy, I purchased a bag of 10 flags to install across the island.

Locals flocked to view.

I had great fun choosing places. Importantly, the flag had to be secure in the high winds.

From near and far they came to see.

Returning to Torshavn, we walked around a bit as the day with all its festivities was coming to a close.

It was a wonderful day to honor the flag and the people of the Faroe Islands.