International Federation of Vexillological Associations

{{Short description|International vexillological institution}} {{pp-move}} {{Infobox Organization | name = International Federation of<br />Vexillological Associations | image = Flag of FIAV.svg | image_size = 170px | image_border = | caption = The flag of the FIAV<ref name="fiavconstitution" /> | map = | map_size = | map_caption = | formation = {{start date and age|1969|9|7|df=y}} | extinction = | type = International association | headquarters = Zagreb, Croatia<br />Johannesburg, South Africa<ref name="fiavconstitution" /> | location = | membership = 53 associations and institutions<ref name="fiavmembers" /> | languages = English, French, German, Spanish<ref name="fiavconstitution" /> | leader_title = President | leader_name = Željko Heimer<ref name="fiavofficers"/> | num_staff = | budget = | website = {{official URL}} }}

thumb|right|Michel R. Lupant, former president of FIAV (1997-2019). The '''International Federation of Vexillological Associations''' ({{Langx|fr|Fédération internationale des associations vexillologiques}}; '''FIAV''') is an international federation<ref>{{cite web|title=About vexillology|url=http://www.flaginstitute.org/index.php?location=8|work=Vexillology|publisher=The Flag Institute|access-date=26 September 2011}}</ref> of 53 regional, national, and multinational associations and institutions across the globe that study vexillology, which FIAV defines in its constitution as "the creation and development of a body of knowledge about flags of all types, their forms and functions, and of scientific theories and principles based on that knowledge."<ref>{{cite web|title=FIAV home page|url=https://fiav.org/|access-date=10 February 2024}}</ref>

==History== The study of flags, or vexillology, was formalised by Whitney Smith in 1957.<ref name="ind">{{cite news|last1=Vulliamy|first1=Elsa|title=Which flag is it? Take our quiz to find out|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/puzzles-and-games/quizzes/can-you-recognise-these-flags-a6774121.html|work=The Independent|access-date=March 13, 2016|date=December 15, 2015}}</ref> He then moved to organize various flag organisations and meetings including the first International Congress of Vexillology<ref name="ind"/> in 1965<ref name="SX">{{cite news |title=Consider Vexillology |url=https://semioticon.com/semiotix/2013/05/consider-vexillology/ |access-date=March 13, 2019 |work=SemiotiX |publisher=Semioticon |date=May 2013 |archive-date=April 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210428053450/https://semioticon.com/semiotix/2013/05/consider-vexillology/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> and International Federation of Vexillological Associations.<ref name="ind"/>

The FIAV was provisionally organized on 3 September 1967, at the Second International Congress of Vexillology held in Rüschlikon, Switzerland, and officially created on 7 September 1969, at the Third International Congress of Vexillology held in Boston, Massachusetts, US. The vexillological symbols were created by vexillologist Whitney Smith and then adopted by the FIAV in the early 1970s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FIAV Flag Information Symbols |url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/xf-fis.html |access-date=2022-10-20 |website=www.crwflags.com}}</ref>

==Governance== FIAV has a three-person Board consisting of a President, Secretary-General, and Secretary-General for Congresses.<ref name="fiavconstitution">{{cite web |title=FIAV Constitution |url=http://fiav.org/constitution/ |date=2009-09-11 |publisher=FIAV |access-date=March 13, 2016}}</ref> The Board manages the current affairs of FIAV and convenes the biennial sessions of the General Assembly,<ref name="fiavconstitution"/> which are held during each International Congress of Vexillology.<ref name="smh"/> The FIAV General Assembly is composed of a delegate from each of FIAV's members. The General Assembly elects the Board and is responsible for setting policy.<ref name="fiavconstitution"/>

===Officers=== The current members of the FIAV Board are: * Željko Heimer (President)(border|20x20px{{Flag|Croatia}}) * Bruce Berry (Secretary–General)(20px|border{{Flag|South Africa}}) * Graham Bartram (Secretary–General for Congresses)<ref name="fiavofficers">{{cite web |title=FIAV Officers |url=http://fiav.org/current-officers/ |date=2009-09-11 |publisher=FIAV |access-date=March 13, 2016}}</ref>(20px|border {{Flag|UK}})

=== Past officers === Office of FIAV President was previously held by:

* Louis Mühlemann, 1969 to 1973 (20px {{Flag|Switzerland}}) * Ottfried Neubecker, 1973 to 1981 (20px {{Flag|Germany}}) * Hugh Boudin, 1981 to 1993 (20px {{Flag|Belgium}}) * William G. Crampton, 1993 to 1997 (20px {{Flag|UK}}) * Michel R. Lupant, 1997 to 2019 (20px {{Flag|Belgium}})

Louis Mühlemann was also the honorary president from 1973 to 1988.{{refn|group=lower-alpha|Mühlemann died on 28 December 1988<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Dreyer |first=Emil |date=1989 |title=Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Fahnen- und Flaggenkunde Jahresbericht 1988/89 des Prasidenten |url=https://vexilla.ch/SGFFchrono/SGFF_1989chronik.pdf |journal=Vexilla Helvetica |volume=21 |issue=VI/VII |pages=3-4}}</ref>}}

==Members==  The current members of FIAV are:<ref name="fiavmembers">{{cite web |date= |title=FIAV Membership List |url=http://fiav.org/current-members/ |access-date=August 14, 2022 |publisher=FIAV}}</ref> {| class="wikitable sortable" !Abrv. !Name !Country (& Territory) !Date of Admission |- |AAV |20px|border Argentina Vexillology Association |{{Flag|Argentina}} |August 23, 1993 |- |ACV |20px|border {{ill|Catalonian Vexillological Association|ca|Associació Catalana de Vexil·lologia}} |{{Flag|Spain}} ({{Flag|CAT|name=Catalonia}}) |May 28, 1985 |- |BDA |20px|border Burgee Data Archives |{{Flag|Canada}} |August 14, 1997 |- |BHVS |20px|border {{ill|Bulgarian Heraldry and Vexillology Society|bg|Българско хералдическо и вексилоложко общество}} |{{Flag|Bulgaria}} |August 6, 2013 |- |BS |border|20x20px Bandiere Storiche ONLUS |{{Flag|Italy}} |August 6, 2013 |- |CBFA |20px|border Chesapeake Bay Flag Association |{{Flag|United States}} ({{Flag|Delaware}}, {{Flag|District of Columbia|name=Washington DC}}, {{Flag|Maryland}}, {{Flag|New Jersey}}, {{Flag|Pennsylvania}}, {{Flag|Virginia}}, {{Flag|West Virginia}}) |July 3, 1995 |- |CEBED |20px|border Belgo-European Studies Center for Flags |{{Flag|Belgium}} |August 23, 1993 |- |CFA |20px|border The Canadian Flag Association |{{Flag|Canada}} |August 23, 1993 |- |CIDEC |20px|border Foundation Interdisciplinary Center for Cultural Studies |{{Flag|Argentina}} |August 23, 1993 |- |CISV |20px|border Italian Centre of Vexillological Studies |{{Flag|Italy}} |September 14, 1973 |- |CONAVEX |20px|border {{ill|Corporación Nacional de Vexilología de Chile|es}} |{{Flag|Chile}} |July 16, 2019 |- |CVS |20px|border {{ill|Czech Vexillological Society|cs|Česká vexilologická společnost}} |{{Flag|Czech Republic}} |August 23, 1993 |- |DGF |20px|border {{ill|German Vexillological Association|de|Deutsche_Gesellschaft_für_Flaggenkunde}} |{{Flag|Germany}} |August 12, 1997 |- |FHF |20px|border Flag Heritage Foundation |{{Flag|United States}} |July 28, 2003 |- |FI |20px|border The Flag Institute |{{Flag|United Kingdom}} |June 24, 1971 |- |FOTW |20px|border Flags of the World |Worldwide (Based in {{Flag|Canada}}) |July 23, 2001 |- |FRC |20px|border {{ill|The Flag Research Center|es|Centro de Investigación de la Bandera}} |{{Flag|United States}} |September 7, 1969 |- |FSA |20px|border Flag Society of Australia |{{Flag|Australia}} |May 28, 1985 |- |GHVI |Institute of Genealogy, Heraldry and Vexillology |{{Flag|Lithuania}} |July 12, 2022 |- |GSI |20px|border Genealogical Society of Ireland |{{Flag|Ireland}} |May 28, 1985 |- |GWAV |20px|border Great Waters Association of Vexillology{{efn|Defunct since April 4, 2013}} |{{Flag|United States}} ({{Flag|Illinois}}, {{Flag|Indiana}}, {{Flag|Kentucky}}, {{Flag|Michigan}}, {{Flag|Ohio}}) |July 29, 1999 |- |HGZD |border|20x20pxCroatian Heraldic and Vexillological Association |{{Flag|Croatia}} |August 7, 2007 |- |HS |border|20x20px Heraldica Slovenica |{{Flag|Slovenia}} |August 23, 1993 |- |HVK |border|20x20px {{ill|Heraldic Society "The Clover Leaf"|de|Heraldischer Verein „Zum Kleeblatt“}} |{{Flag|Germany}} |August 23, 1993 |- |IHW |20px|border {{ill|Institute of Heraldry and Vexillology|pl|Instytut Heraldyczno-Weksylologiczny}} |{{Flag|Poland}} |July 23, 2001 |- |IVA |20px|border Indian Vexillological Association |{{Flag|India}} |August 7, 2007 |- |JAVA |20px|border Japanese Vexillological Association |{{Flag|Japan}} |July 23, 2001 |- |KVV |20px|border {{ill|Breton Vexillology Society|fr|Sociétés de vexillologie en Bretagne}} |{{Flag|France}} ({{Flag|Brittany|name=Brittany}}) |August 12, 1997 |- |NAVA |20px|border North American Vexillological Association |North America ({{Flag|United States}} & {{Flag|Canada}}) |September 7, 1969 |- |NEVA |20px|border New England Vexillological Association |{{Flag|United States}} ({{Flag|Connecticut}}, {{Flag|Maine}}, {{Flag|Massachusetts}}, {{Flag|New Hampshire}}, {{Flag|Rhode Island}}, {{Flag|Vermont}}) |July 29, 1999 |- |NF |20px|border Nordic Flag Society |{{Flagdeco|Kalmar Union}} Nordic Europe ({{Flag|Denmark}}, {{Flag|Finland}}, {{Flag|Iceland}}, {{Flag|Norway}}, {{Flag|Sweden}}) |September 14, 1973 |- |NVvV |20px|border {{ill|Dutch Association for Vexillology|nl|Nederlandse Vereniging voor Vlaggenkunde}} |{{Flag|Netherlands}} |September 7, 1969 |- |NZFA |20px|border New Zealand Flag Association |{{Flag|New Zealand}} |July 3, 1995 |- |MGD |20px|border Macedonian Heraldic Society |{{Flag|North Macedonia}} |July 16, 2019 |- |PFA |20px|border Portland Flag Association |{{Flag|United States}} ({{Flag|Oregon}}) |August 6, 2013 |- |PTW |20px|border {{ill|Polish Vexillology Society|ru|Польское вексиллологическое общество}} |{{Flag|Poland}} |July 3, 1995 |- |RCVH |20px|border Russian Centre of Vexillology and Heraldry |{{Flag|Russia}} |July 28, 2003 |- |SAVA |20px|border Southern African Vexillological Association |{{Flagicon|SADC|Border}} Southern Africa ({{Flag|Angola}}, {{Flag|Botswana}}, {{Flag|Lesotho}}, {{Flag|Madagascar}}, {{Flag|Malawi}}, {{Flag|Mozambique}}, {{Flag|Namibia}}, {{Flag|South Africa}}, {{Flag|Eswatini}}, {{Flag|Zambia}}, {{Flag|Zimbabwe}}) |July 2, 1991 |- |SCHG |20px|border State Council of Heraldry at the Parliament of Georgia |{{Flag|Georgia}} |August 2, 2011 |- |SEV |20px|border Spanish Society of Vexillology |{{Flag|Spain}} |June 29, 1979 |- |SFV |20px|border French Society of Vexillology |{{Flag|France}} |July 1, 1991 |- |SGHAPG |20px|border Society of Genealogy, Heraldry and Archivist "Paul Gore" |{{Flag|Moldova}} |July 23, 2001 |- |SSV |20px|border Swiss Society for Vexillology |{{Flag|Switzerland}} |September 7, 1969 |- |SVB |20px|border Belgium Vexillology Society |{{Flag|Belgium}} |June 29, 1979 |- |SVI |20px|border Flag Data Center |{{Flag|Czech Republic}} |July 28, 2003 |- |SVPR |20px|border {{ill|Rotterdam Flag Parade Foundation|nl|Vlaggenparade Rotterdam}} |{{Flag|Netherlands}} |August 2, 2011 |- |THVA |border|20x20px Transylvanian Heraldic and Vexillological Association |{{Flag|Romania}} ({{Flag|Transylvania}}) |July 12, 2022 |- |UHT |20px|border Ukrainian Heraldry Society |{{Flag|Ukraine}} |July 3, 1995 |- |VAST |20px|border Vexillological Association of the State of Texas |{{Flag|United States}} ({{Flag|Texas}}) |July 23, 2001  |- |VSS |border|20x20px Vexillological Society (Singapore) |{{Flag|Singapore}} |July 12, 2022 |- |WVRI |20px|border World Vexillological Research Institute |{{Flag|Germany}} |August 23, 1993 |}

==International Congresses of Vexillology== thumb|Argentinian flags and flags of FIAV members during the 21st International Congresses of Vexillology in Buenos Aires The International Congress of Vexillology is a week long biennial conference. A Congress consists of vexillology presentations, FIAV's General Assembly and flag display tours.<ref name="smh">{{cite news|last1=Koziol|first1=Michael|title=World experts fly the flag in Sydney|url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/world-experts-fly-the-flag-in-sydney-20150901-gjc9yg.html|access-date=March 13, 2016|work=Sydney Morning Herald|publisher=Fairfax Media|date=September 1, 2015}}</ref>

Since 1969, FIAV has sponsored the biennial International Congresses of Vexillology (ICV) with assistance of a local organizing committee.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mercer |first1=Phil |title=What do our flags say about us? |url=http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20150714-what-do-our-flags-say-about-us |access-date=July 19, 2019 |work=www.bbc.com |date=14 July 2015 |language=en}}</ref> The Congresses have been held in: {{div col}} * Muiderberg, Netherlands (1965) * Zürich and Rüschlikon (1967) * Boston (1969) * Turin (1971) * London (1973) * IJsselmeer (1975) * Washington, D.C. (1977) * Vienna (1979) * Ottawa (1981) * Oxford (1983) * Madrid (1985) * San Francisco (1987) * Melbourne (1989) * Barcelona (1991) * Zürich (1993) * Warsaw (1995) * Cape Town (1997) * Victoria, British Columbia (1999) * York (2001) * Stockholm (2003) * Buenos Aires (2005) * Berlin (2007) * Yokohama (2009) * Washington, D.C. (2011) * Rotterdam (2013) * Sydney (2015) * London (2017)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.icv27.co.uk/|title=ICV27 - London 2017|website=27th International Congress of Vexillology|publisher=Flag Institute|access-date=9 August 2017|archive-date=29 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190829170225/http://www.icv27.co.uk/|url-status=usurped}}</ref> * San Antonio (2019)<ref>{{cite news |last1=Biediger |first1=Shari |title=Dixie Flag Stitches Banners with Pride and Patriotism |url=https://therivardreport.com/dixie-flag-stitches-banners-with-pride-and-patriotism/ |access-date=July 19, 2019 |work=Rivard Report |date=July 4, 2019}}</ref> * Ljubljana (2022)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.icv29ljubljana.com/|title=ICV29 - Ljubljana 2022|website=29th International Congress of Vexillology|publisher=Heraldica Slovenica|access-date=15 July 2022|archive-date=15 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220715152733/https://www.icv29ljubljana.com/|url-status=dead}}</ref> * Beijing (2024) {{div col end}} ICV 31 is planned to be held in Paris, France in 2026.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://fiav.org/icv-list/ |title=International Congresses of Vexillology |website=FIAV |access-date= June 18, 2024}}</ref>

==FIAV flag==  The FIAV flag was initially designed by Klaes Sierksma and slightly modified by the organizing committee of the Second International Congress of Vexillology. The flag was introduced on 3 September 1967. Its description is, "On a blue field, extending horizontally from hoist to fly, two yellow halyards forming two interlaced loops." The knot formed is a sheet bend. The color blue is defined as Pantone Matching System U293 and the color yellow is defined as Pantone Matching System U123. Flags for the three officers were approved in 1999, having been designed by the former FIAV president, William Crampton.<ref name="crampton">{{cite web| title=FIAV - Fédération internationale des associations vexillologiques| url=http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/vex-fiav.html| publisher=Flags of the World| date=9 September 2011| access-date=2013-08-27}}</ref>

==FIAV honours and medals== thumb|Ribbon of the award Laureate of the Federationthumb|Ribbon of the award Fellow of the FederationOver the years, FIAV has established awards and honors to recognize individuals and organizations for vexillological work and service.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nava.org/awards-and-honors/ |title = Awards and Honors |website= North American Vexillological Association |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210817234405/https://nava.org/awards-and-honors/ |archive-date= Aug 17, 2021 }}</ref> The two medals that come with post-nominals are the Laureates of the Federation who get LF and the Fellows of the Federation who get FF. These two awards consists of a certificate and a medal bearing the central knot device of the FIAV flag suspended from a neck (LF) or a chest (FF) ribbon of blue and yellow, the colors of the FIAV flag, a lapel pin and a ribbon bar.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Laureates of the Federation {{!}} FIAV.org |url=https://fiav.org/laureates-of-the-fiav/ |access-date=2025-12-29 |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 1989, FIAV established The Vexilon, an award given for the most important contribution to vexillology in the two years before an International Congress of Vexillology. As of 2024, 17 awards have been given out to notable vexillologists such as William Crampton, Whitney Smith, and Alfred Znamierowski.<ref name="Vexillon">{{cite web |url=https://fiav.org/the-vexillon |title = The Vexillon |date = July 14, 2023 |website = International Federation of Vexillological Associations |access-date = May 21, 2024}}</ref> Frederick Brownell, who designed the South African flag,<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427035455/http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-27155475 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-27155475 |archive-date=2014-04-27 |title=Fred Brownell: The man who made South Africa's flag |access-date=May 21, 2024 |date=26 April 2014 |work=BBC News}}</ref> received the award twice.<ref name="Vexillon"/>

The Whitney Smith Award recognizes the best paper delivered during an International Congress of Vexillology. It was established in 2005 as the Best Paper award and renamed in 2017 honoring Whitney Smith. Even before the current award was formalized, a recognition of the “best paper” was bestowed sponsored by the International Association of Flag Manufacturers (IAFM) at least since 1999, known as the IAFM Award.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Whitney Smith Award {{!}} FIAV.org |url=https://fiav.org/best-paper/ |access-date=2025-12-29 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

==External links== * {{Official website|https://fiav.org/}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:International Federation of Vexillological Associations}} Category:International Federation of Vexillological Associations Category:Organizations established in 1967 Category:Vexillological organizations Category:Organizations based in Houston Category:International organisations based in London