Esperanto symbols
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Esperanto symbols, primarily the Esperanto flag, have seen much consistency over the time of Esperanto's existence (namely in the consistent usage of the colour green), though a few variations in exact flag patterning and symbology exist.
The main flag of Esperanto, featuring the Verda Stelo ('Green Star'), was adopted in 1905 for use as a symbol of mutual recognition among
History
Verda Stelo
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Since the earliest days of Esperanto, the colour green has been used as a symbol of mutual recognition, and it appears prominently in all Esperanto symbols.[1] In a letter to The British Esperantist in 1911, L. L. Zamenhof, the creator of Esperanto, wrote: "It seems to me, that my attention was drawn to the color green by Mr. Richard H. Geoghegan and from that time I began to publish all of my works with green covers . . . Looking at one of my pamphlets that I had entirely by chance printed with a green cover, he pointed out that this was the color of his homeland, Ireland; at that time it came to me, that we could certainly look at that color as a symbol of HOPE. About the five-pointed star, it seems to me, that at first Mr. de Beaufront had it imprinted on his grammar [of Esperanto]. I liked that and I adopted it as a symbol. Afterward by association of ideas, the star appeared with a green color."[2]
The Verda Stelo was first proposed in an 1892 article in
Other proposed flags and symbols
In 1905, delegates to the first conference of Esperantists at Boulogne-sur-Mer, unanimously approved a version differing from the modern only by the superimposition of an "E" over the green star. Other variants include that for Christian Esperantists, with a white Christian cross superimposed upon the green star, and that for Leftists, with the color of the field changed from green to red.[3]
Some Esperanto speakers[
Design of the Verda Stelo
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The Esperanto flag is composed of a green background with a white square (canton) in the upper lefthand corner, which in turn contains a green star. The green field symbolizes hope,[5] the white symbolizes peace and neutrality[citation needed], and the five-pointed star represents the five continents (Europe, America, Asia, Oceania, Africa).[5]
By recommendation of the board of the Universal Esperanto Association, the flag should have the following proportions: The ratio of the width of the flag to the height of the flag to a side of the white square should be 3 to 2 to 1. The ratio of a side of the white square to the radius of a circle enclosing the star should be 10 to 3.5.
In popular culture
Most Esperantists continue to hold the verda stelo dear as a symbol of international or supranational solidarity (with the jubilea simbolo jokingly called la melono ('the melon') by some), though many also regard the preference of one symbol over another as a purely personal choice. At most Esperanto congresses, the flag, the star, and the jubilea simbolo can all be seen in use on displays or being worn as badges. Sometimes, Esperanto travelers will display the flag, wear a badge with one of the above symbols, or even wear green clothes, to make themselves known to other Esperanto speakers.[6]
On December 15, 2009, the Verda Stelo flew on the
See also
- Esperanto jubilee symbol – 1983 symbol for Esperanto
- Finvenkismo– Esperanto as the universal secondary language
- Flag icons for languages – Using national flags as icons for languages
References
- . Retrieved 13 March 2023.
Green being the colour adopted by the international Esperanto community, usually in the form of either a green star, or a green flag with a white star
- ^ "La Deveno de la Verda Stelo". The British Esperantist (86): 34. February 1912.
- ^ "Esperanto Flag".
- ISBN 9783030842307.)
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link - ^ .
- . Retrieved 13 March 2023.
Many Esperantists display a habit of wearing t-shirts portraying Zamenhof and declaring knowledge of Esperanto
- ^ "150th Birthday of LL Zamenhof". Google. Retrieved 2020-08-30.