Haitian Flag Day
(Photo Courtesy of the Haitian Network Group Detroit)
Welcome, friends, to the Avek Ou blog! We are excited that you are joining us on this journey as we support the children at the Delmas 3 Welcome Centre in Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CAD). In this blog we hope to connect, inspire, and encourage you to join us as we stand with the children in Haiti. We plan to document and share our journey with CAD and the children. We will also share information about what inspired board members, volunteers, partners, and supporters to get involved; upcoming fundraisers and campaigns; the impact of your donations, including updates to CAD, projects, and highlights of the children’s social and family reintegration; Haitian history, culture, and customs; and much more.
In this inaugural post, we are highlighting Haitian flag day. On this day in 1803, the free Republic of Haiti officially adopted the flag as a sign of its independence. The original flag was a variation of the French flag, which consists of three vertical stripes of blue, white, and red. General Jean-Jacques Dessalines removed the white band from the French flag and ordered Catherine Flon to sew the remaining blue and red vertical pieces together to symbolize the people coming together in their fight for freedom. He also added the phrase “Liberté ou La Mort” or “Freedom or Death” across the new flag.
The current flag was originally adopted in 1806 by President Alexandre Pétion. It has two horizontal bars, blue over red, with a white panel of the Haitian coat of arms. The coat of arms shows a trophy of weapons ready to defend freedom and a royal palm for independence. The palm is topped by a Phrygian cap, often referred to as the Cap of Liberty. At the bottom of the panel is a white scroll with the motto “L'Union Fait La Force” (Unity Makes Strength or United we are Stronger). The flag has changed many times since 1806. The current version was readopted in 1986 and remains a sign of pride and freedom for Haitians and supporters of Haiti.
Like Haitian people everywhere, the children at CAD are celebrating the Haitian flag today through song and dance, history lessons, and other festivities. Click here to learn more about CAD, the children, and our endeavors because Avek Ou (with you), L'Union Fait La Force (united we are stronger).