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Kosovo (Province, Serbia): Flag proposals

DioGuardi's proposal
The Kosovo flag contest

See also:

DioGuardi's proposal

DioGuardi's flag proposal for Kosovo - Image by Ivan Sache, 7 February 2007

Joseph J. DioGuardi is the founding President of the Albanian American Civic League (AACL), founded in 1989. His flag proposal is described and illustrated on the Huliq website with the misleading title of "The New Flag of Kosovo".
The flag is in proportion 3:5, with five red and five white stripes and a square red canton charged with the Albanian double-headed eagle. The canton covers seven stripes in height. The flag was presented by its designer in Priština in July 2006, as follows:

I believe that this flag will capture the heart and spirit of the Albanian people all over the world, especially the Albanian citizens of the new state of Kosova. It contains the national Albanian symbol (the double-headed eagle) and the national colors (black and red). It also reflects Kosova's historic connection to the Albanians of Montenegro, Macedonia, the Preševo Valley, Chameria [Southern Epirus, mostly part of Greece] (the Chams and Arvanites), and Italy (the Arbëresh [DioGuardi is himself of Arbëresh origin. His late father, who immigrated to America in 1929, was an ethnic Albanian who was born in Greci, the oldest of the 51 Albanian-speaking villagse in Italy and the only one in which Skenderbeg set foot]), who are represented by the five white stripes. The white stripes on red also serve to remind us of the important role that the United States has played by recognizing the State of Albania after World War led by president Woodrow Willson, leading NATO against Slobodan Milosević in 1999, and working today to gain international recognition for Kosova's independence.

Ivan Sache, 7 February 2007

This flag was seen in real during the visit of President of the USA G.W. Bush in Albania, June 2007.

Milan Jovanović, 16 June 2007

A similar flag, with six red stripes and five white stripes, was seen on a black and white photography, captioned as "Proposal for the new American-Albanian flag? Or Albania, the new, 53rd American State?"

Albert Kirsch & Ivan Sarajčić, 12 October 2007

The Kosovo flag contest

The Courrier des Balkans website gives the French translation of a paper originally published on 3 February by Jeton Musliu in Gazeta Express (Priština).
The article refers to point 1.7 of the proposal made by Marti Ahtisaari, stating that "Kosovo shall have its own national symbols, including a flag, an emblem and an anthem reflecting its multiethnical charadter". Accordingly, Musliu claims that the black double-headed eagle representing the Albanians, the wheel representing the Roms, the four firesteels representing the Serbs and the white eagle representing the Ashkali should be used on the flag, as well as a symbol for the Turkish minority. This should also be true for the emblem and the anthem.
Since 1999, the MINUK as officially registered the Albanians, the Serbs, the Roms, the Ashkali, the Egyptians and the Turks as ethnical groups living in Kosovo. Zylfhi Merxha, President of the Kosovo Rom Party, said that his community has not decided what to do yet, but would ask to have a specific element on the flag if the other commnities ask too. Oliver Ivanović, a Serb leader, said it was a bit too early to think about symbols. Gëzim Gashi, the leader of the Ashkalin says that the possible elements to be placed on the flag has not been discussed yet.
The Science and Arts Academy of Kosovo announced it had designed national symbols before Ahtisaari's plan was made public. The memeber of the academy Bseim Bokshi said that the Kosovo Assembly will launch a call for other proposals, adding that "the flag shall not use other colours than red and black".
The MINUK administrator Joachim Rücker promised that no symbol would be imposed from outside as it was the case in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Other proposals have been made. President Rugova presented a design, as did the Americano-Albanian former Congressman (Rep., New York) Joseph J. DioGuardi.

Ivan Sache, 15 February 2007

The competition for Kosovo flag and emblem was officially published on 13 June 2007 and is open until 27 June 2007.
The competion announcement is available on the website of the Assembly of Kosovo.

Kosovo Unity Team announces the COMPETITION FOR THE FLAG AND EMBLEM OF KOSOVO

The competition for Kosovo's flag and emblem is open to all those interested, without restrictions.
Entrants should bear in mind that the people of Kosovo should be able to identify with their flag and emblem. Accordingly, the flag and emblem should reflect a commitment to a common future in a spirit of respect and tolerance in Kosovo.

Flag and emblem competition
Flag and emblem entries will be accepted provided they arrive within and not beyond the deadline set in this announcement and that they fully comply with the regulations contained within this announcement.

Criteria for Proposals to Determine the Flag and Emblem of Kosovo
Participants in the competition are encouraged to submit proposals for a flag and emblem of Kosovo that:
- Are simple in design and color scheme, without words, slogans, or mottos;
- Are unique and original;
- Are easily recognisable; and
- Reflect the aspirations of the people of Kosovo for integration into European and Euro-Atlantic institutions.

Any submission must adhere to the spirit and letter of the Comprehensive Proposal for Kosovo Status Settlement.
To comply with the Comprehensive Settlement Proposal in specific terms, all submissions:
- Must not represent or approximate the flag or emblem of any state, or the flag or emblem of any political party, movement or institution of Kosovo, or imply any allegiance to any ethnic community of Kosovo;
- Must not utilize the representation of any eagle symbol, particularly with regard to such depictions in the symbols of other states; and
- Must not solely utilize red and black color schemes, or red, white and blue color schemes.
The flag should be rectangular and of the proportions of 2:3.

The following regulations for the flag and emblem competition apply:
Competition entries must be submitted in a sealed envelope as follows:
- Flag and emblem designs in full color on an A4 sheet of paper (only one flag or emblem design per sheet). The design may be drawn by hand or using a computer. Name and contact details must not be written on these sheets.
- A separate A4 sheet of paper containing the following information:
first and last name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth of the entrant, as well as a reduced copy of the submitted flag and emblem design on the same sheet, placed inside a separate closed envelope and sent together with the flag or symbol design to which it refers.
- A declaration by the entrant as follows: "This is my own work. I authorize the selection committee to publish or display the design both during and after the competition. If my design is selected, I authorize its use as the flag and emblem of Kosovo without claims for royalties or other remuneration, apart from the rewards that are contained within this announcement."
If more than one design is submitted, each individual design must be shown on a separate A4 sheet. The designer's name and contact details must be clearly marked on one or more additional A4 sheets together with reductions of all designs submitted, placed inside separate closed envelopes.
Flag and emblem designs may be accompanied by a brief description (no more than 150 words) of the rationale behind the concept, written on a separate sheet of paper in any of the official languages of Kosovo (English is one of the official languages of Kosovo in addition to Albanian and Serbian).

Once an entry has been submitted, it becomes the property of the competition commission. Thereafter the entrant(s) may not publish, show or use the design in any public display until after the competition has been finalized and flag and emblem selected. Failure to comply with this regulation may result in immediate disqualification.
The three proposals that are selected will be awarded:
- 1st place: 10 000 €
- 2nd place: 7 000 €
- 3rd place: 5 000 €
The competition organizers will not accept responsibility or liability for any legal action arising from the submission of plagiarized materials, or otherwise arising from the conduct of the competition.
Entries for both competitions must be received no later than 5:00 PM on June 27, 2007. Competition entries may be delivered in person from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM or by posted mail [...]
Applications sent electronically will not be accepted in order to preserve confidentiality.
The competition will remain open 15 days from the date of publication of the announcement.

Alban Sylaj & Željko Heimer, 17 June 2007