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OAS – Organization of American States

Organizacion de Estados Americanos

image by Eugene Ipavec, 15 April 2006

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Here you’ll find the images for the flag of the OAS
(Organization of American States, Organizacion de Estados
Americanos). I’m sending two versions, since the size of the OAS
seal depicted on the flag is not specified on the official
description I found at www.oas.org
I might, in any case, redraw it, since I believe the resizing of
the seal came out to be very crude and since I think I might have
gotten the order of the flags wrong (they are supposedly arranged
alphabetically but I am not sure if they are so in English or
Spanish, since the seal at the page was very small…).

The flag of the Organization of American States was first used
during the term of office of Secretary General Jose’ Antonio
Mora. The flag consists of the seal of the Organization, which
represents the flags of all the member states on a royal blue
background. The seal with the flags was first seen on the
Organization’s stationary in the 1920s, when Leo S. Rowe was
Director General. The flag was commissioned from Annin & Co.,
New York, in April 1961. The color chosen for the background was
royal blue: neither light nor dark blue. In the center are the
flags of all the member countries arranged in an arc with 10
flagpoles at the bottom, framed by a circle. The design was
updated most recently in 1991, when Belize and Guyana became
members of the Organization. Each time a new state joins, its
flag is incorporated. The use of the flag has been established
according to tradition and practice followed over the years in
the Organization.
Guillermo Tell, 21 December 1999

A blue flag with a white disk containing the flags of all
member states on staffs.
Željko Heimer, 10 December 2003

Large versions of the OAS logo are available at

http://www.oas.org/documents/eng/photo_institution.asp; I used one to make
the flag here.
Eugene Ipavec, 15 April
2006

I looked through the Organization of American States (OAS) website and was able to find the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) website. I do agree that the FTAA looks like a reality soon. As for a FTAA flag using the OAS flag, that would make sense I think, even though it is a complicated design.

Maqtewékpaqtism Tnis Tiámaq, 9 June 2001

I came across a few months ago the OAS protocol for flying the flag at

http://www.oas.org/legal/english/CoopRelations/admmem/admmem85.htm

ADMINISTRATIVE MEMORANDUM NO. 85
SUBJECT: USE OF THE FLAG OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES AND THE FLAGS OF
THE MEMBER STATES

I. Decision:

The Secretary General has decided that the following instructions shall be
issued for the use of the flag of the Organization of American States:

1. The flag of the Organization of American States shall be raised at the
highest point of all buildings and properties occupied by the Organization.
According to universal practice, it shall be raised at daybreak and lowered at
sunset. The offices of the General Secretariat in the member states and the
specialized organizations of the OAS shall follow the same practice as at
Headquarters.

2. The flags of the member states and the OAS flag shall be flown outside the
building that serves as the principal site of any OAS conference or meeting held
at the ministerial level away from headquarters.

3. During sessions of the General Assembly, the flags of the member states shall
be displayed alphabetically in Spanish, or in order of precedence, followed by
the OAS flag. If the country hosting the General Assembly session wishes to set
the OAS flag in a prominent spot, it shall be placed in the center, immediately
to the right of the host country’s flag. These two flags should be set apart
from the others at a distance equal to 150% of the distance between the other
flags, without interrupting the order of placement. All the flags shall be of
the same size. The host country’s flag and the OAS flag may be set back
slightly, but may not be raised higher than the others.

When placed in a straight line or a semicircle, the flags, viewed from left to
right from the front, shall be arranged in alphabetically in Spanish according
to the names of the member countries. Alternatively, when so decided the flags
shall be arranged according to the order of precedence of the member states
established by lot for the General Assembly session, conference, or meeting in
question.

At events organized by the country hosting the General Assembly session,
conference, or meeting, but not sponsored by the Organization of American
States, the General Assembly, or the body holding the meeting, the flag protocol
established by the host country may be observed.

4. At Meetings of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, and at other
conferences and meetings of the Organization, the practice followed at General
Assembly sessions shall apply.

5. During protocolary visits by heads of state and government, vice presidents,
and foreign ministers, the flags of the member states shall be flown in front of
the Main Building, arranged alphabetically in Spanish when viewed from left to
right from the front. All the flags shall be of the same size. The flags shall
also flank the left-hand staircase of the Main Building (which the honored guest
will climb) alphabetically in Spanish, alternating in order from the left and
then right sides of the steps, beginning with the first step.

During protocolary greetings, the flag of the visiting official shall be placed
at the beginning of the reception line to the left, and the OAS flag shall be
placed at the end of the line.

6. In the case of non-protocolary visits, the flags shall be displayed neither
in front of the Main Building nor on the staircase.

7. When the Permanent Council meets, the OAS flag alone shall be placed to the
right of the dais.

8. At signing ceremonies for conventions, treaties, Protocols, and bilateral
agreements, the OAS flag shall be placed to the right of the flag of the member
state signing the instrument. The flags shall be of the same size and raised to
the same height.

9. At cultural activities co-sponsored by member states and the OAS, the flag of
the member state and, to its right, the OAS flag shall be flown.

10. When a head of state or government of a member country dies, the OAS flag
shall fly at half mast at headquarters and at the office of the General
Secretariat in that country. The flag shall remain at half mast for one day,
which shall begin immediately when the Organization learns of the death of the
head of state or government. If, because of inclement weather, the flag cannot
be raised, it shall be flown at half mast on the day of the funeral. A flag that
is to fly at half mast must first be raised to the top of the pole and then
lowered to half mast.

When the flag of the Organization of American States covers a casket, it must
not touch the ground or be lowered with the casket.

11. A complete set of flags of all the member states shall be placed permanently
in the form of a fan at each end of the Hall of the Americas, alphabetically in
Spanish, from left to right. They shall be placed at the center of the doors
leading from the Hall of Americas to the Miranda Room and to the Columbus Room,
at exactly the same height.

They shall also be displayed permanently in the entrance to the Main Building,
divided into two semicircles, arranged in a similar order.

12. If a member state wishes to show support for the Organization of American
States, it may raise the OAS flag on special occasions such as holidays, or an
official event if it is held in honor of the Organization.

II. Derogations:

This administrative memorandum supersedes and replaces a contrary provisions,
regulations, instructions, and practices of the General Secretariat.

III. Entry into Force:

This administrative memorandum shall enter into force on the date it is signed.

This administrative memorandum supersedes and replaces a contrary provisions,
regulations, instructions, and practices of the General Secretariat.

III. Entry into Force:

This administrative memorandum shall enter into force on the date it is signed.

James R. Harding
Assistant Secretary for Management

Located by Phil Nelson, 15 April 2003