The Court of Flags has been created in furtherance of the mission to celebrate the heritage of those dwelling in our community The flags correlate with the nations of origin of the current diverse population of our community. Because we have created a Peace Plaza, we also challenged ourselves to adopt a flag policy that was consistent with the mission of the plaza.

Flags accepted for display in the Court of Flags must represent current member states of the United Nations, which has embraced the aspiration for world peace. The only exceptions to the United Nations membership requirement apply to the special circumstances of Native Americans and African Americans. The flag of the Sac and Fox of Iowa, representative of the original inhabitants of our area, has been selected to honor our Native American heritage. In accordance with the generally accepted manner of honoring African American heritage, the red, black and green African American flag has been chosen for display in the Court of Flags.

We also have been sensitized to the disparate circumstances resulting in emigration from other parts of the world. The flag policy addresses our African American and American Indian heritage. Laotian and Vietnamese are recent immigrants to our community and, to a large extent, are refugees from Laos and Vietnam. The flags of Laos and Vietnam (as members of the United Nations) represent the countries from which refuge was taken. The leaders of both of these communities have asked that their flags not be included at this time. We have deferred to this request and have honored our local Vietnamese and Laotian heritage with inclusion on the Immigration Timeline and with their languages represented on Peace Poles.

We have learned that flag protocol and etiquette can be very complex. Many Americans feel that the American flag should be located in the center of a grouping of flags and at all times higher than other flags. This is correct protocol for the American flag when it is displayed with state flags, county flags, city flags and other pennants, banners and flags. It is counter to international flag protocol and United States law when the U.S. flag is flown with other national flags. The United States Flag Code (U.S. Code Title 36, Chapter 10) requires the U.S. flag to be flown equally with other national flags. All flags are to be substantially the same size and are to be flown at the same height. The United States flag is located to the right (from the flag's perspective which is from the left as a viewer looks at the flags) and then the remaining flags are located clockwise (from the viewer's perspective) in alphabetical order in English. All flags are to be in a lighted display after dark as is so beautifully depicted at the Keeling Puri Peace Plaza.

We are developing a system for easy identification of the flags on the flag pole for visitors to the plaza so that we can all learn to enjoy the flags of all the nations. The order of the flags is alphabetical, again going clockwise from the United States flag.

Read the entire U. S. Flag Protocol document or Visit the United Nations web site.