Fifty Years of Non-Alligned Movements and Flags (1961-2011)

Note: Colour shift (Yellow) in the first block of Sri Lankan stamps.

 Stamps issued by Cuba and Sri Lanka in commemoration of       50th anniversary of NAM in 2011

Fifty years ago in 1961 the heads of 28 nations gathered in Belgrade, former capital of Yugoslavia, to attend the first conference of the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM). The Non-Aligned Movement is a group of states considering themselves not aligned formally with or against any major power bloc. As of 2011, the movement has 120 members and 17 observer countries.

The origins of the movement lay in the Bandung Conference, Indonesia, in 1955, at which Asian and African states met to find common ground and agreement for future cooperation, and proclaimed anti-colonialism and neutrality between East and West power blocs.

 50^thAnniversary of Bandung Conference (1955–2005)

The first Afro-Asian conference of the newly independent states of Africa and Asia held in Bandung, Indonesia in April 1955.

The post-World War II period saw the beginning of the Cold War confrontation and rivalry between the superpowers. It was at this juncture that the Non-Aligned Movement was forged, putting forth an alternative vision for the handling of international affairs and the resolution of international tensions. Rooted in the five principles of peaceful coexistence (Panchsheel), the movement stands for an alternative to confrontation.

The NAM movement’s founders are considered to be India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru; Egypt’s second President, Gamal Abdel Nasser; Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah; Indonesia’s first President, Sukarno; and then-Yugoslavia President Josip Broz Tito. All five leaders were prominent advocates of a middle course for states in the developing world between the Western and Eastern blocs in the Cold War. Leaders at the 1961 summit agreed to promote world peace and cooperation by not aligning with either power bloc.

 

The phrase itself was first used to represent the doctrine by Indian diplomat and statesman V. Krisna Menon in 1953, at the United Nations.

Non-Aligned Movement Summit is the main meeting within the movement and are held every few years:

NAM Summits at a glance;

• First Conference - Belgrade, Yugoslavia,  September 1961
• Second Conference - Cairo, United Arab Republic, October 1964
• Third Conference - Lusaka, Zambia,, September 1970
• Fourth Conference - Algiers, Algeria,  September 1973 
•  Unissued (Withdrawn ?)stamp of Bhutan
•  
• Fifth Conference - Colombo, Sri Lanka,  August 1976
• Sixth Conference - Havana, Cuba,  September 1979
• Seventh Conference - New Delhi, India, March 1983
• Eighth Conference - Harare, Zimbabwe, September 1986
• Ninth Conference - Belgrade, S.F.R. Yugoslavia, September 1989
•  
• Tenth Conference - Jakarta, Indonesia,  September 1992
• Eleventh Conference - Cartagena de Indias, October 1995Twelfths Conference – Durban, South Africa, Sept. 1998 
•        Thirteenth Conference -  Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, February 2003.

       Fourteenth Conference -  Havana, Cuba, Sept. 2006

    Fifteenth Conference -   Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, July 2009

   Sixteenth Conference -  Belgrade, Serbia, Sept. 2011.

The Palestinian flag raised at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on 13 December 2011

The Palestinian flag raised at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on Tuesday, 13 December 2011 more than a month after its admission as a full member. 

  The Palestinian flag hoisted at UNESCO headquarters, over a month after its admission to the UN cultural agency. President Mahmud Abbas  traveled to Paris to attend the event, which is seen by many as a step on the Palestinians' road to eventual UN membership.

"President Abbas wants to show the importance he attaches to UNESCO," said a Palestinian diplomat. "And this is the first time that the flag will be flown at the headquarters of a UN institution."
The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation says the flag-hoisting is a symbolic ceremony "to mark Palestine's admission to the organisation" that takes place each time a new member joins.
The Palestinians were admitted to the body in late October, when the UNESCO general assembly voted 107-14 to make Palestine its 195th member.

 Indian Stamp issued on 29 November 1981 in supporting inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.

National Flag of The UAE, Part - V

Part V - UAE Flag theme on stamps, by Kenneth Sequeira

  

In this part, we will see the influence of UAE flag and its colours on regional themes.

Gulf Co-operation Council League

 

Arab League and the UAE

 

UAE Postal Day

 

 Sports

UAE Flag colours blended with other themes

 (Concluded)

National Flag of the United Arab Emirates, Part IV

Part IV – UAE Flag on National Day Themes

By Kenneth Sequeira

The UAE flag has been featured regularly on the UAE stamps over the years. Below we are going to see UAE flags featured on various National Day themes.

UAE 'Armed Forces' and 'Air Forces'

 United Nations

 With Rulers of the Emirates

Paintings:- Through the eyes of Children

Unity and Pride

25^th Silver Jubilee National Day

35^th National Day -- 35 years of Unity and Progress

(To be continued)

History of the National Flag of the UAE, Part III

National Flag of the UAE, Part III:- Pre - Union Phase

By Kenneth Sequeira

 

Prior to the Union, the seven Emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm al Qaiwain were part of the Trucial States, which then included Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.

 Abu Dhabi FDC prior to the Union

The Trucial States traditionally flew plain red flags.  Early in the 19^th Century, the British India vessels were constantly being attacked by the pirates in this region, hence this stretch of coast became known as the "Pirate Coast". In 1819 the British Govt. dispatched a large fleet and within a year they had destroyed and captured every Pirate ships that it had come across and occupied all the major forts in the area, including Ra's al-Khaimah.

 

Then in 1820 the British Govt. imposed a General Treaty of Peace on all Arab Sheikhdoms along this coast and prescribed them to fly a square "white pierced red" flag instead of the plain red flags they were wearing on their vessels. The white in the flag would signify they had abandoned piracy. This flag was however not acknowledged by all tribes, who changed the designs and proportions.

The treaty with the British Govt. was in 1835 upgraded to the "Maritime Truce" in which Sheikhs agreed to stop all hostilities at sea and this was further revised in 1839 and 1853. Because of this, the area became known as "Trucial Oman" or the "Trucial Coast".

  Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah FDC’s prior to the Union.

In 1960 the Trucial States Council was formed; its flag, with the traditional red and white, included a green seven-pointed star, for the seven Sheikhdoms. Originally a flag was proposed with a nine-pointed star, as it was hoped that Qatar and Bahrain would also join the Federation; this did not happen, so the flag only had seven points. In 1971 the Trucial States Council terminated the defense treaties with the United Kingdom and established a six-member federation; Ra's al-Khaimah joined the following year.

 

Ajman, Dubai and Fujeira FDCs prior to Union

Air India Inaugural First Flight Covers before and after the Union

Before the Union the each Emirate had individual stamps.

(To be continued)