International Federation of Vexillological Associations; IFoVA (French: Fédération internationale des associations vexillologiques; FIAV) is an international federation 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."
The flag of the FIAV | |
| Formation | 7 September 1969 |
|---|---|
| Type | International association |
| Headquarters | Houston, Texas, U.S. London, England, UK |
| Membership | 51 associations and institutions |
Official languages | English, French, German, Spanish |
President | Željko Heimer |
| Website | fiav |
History
The study of flags, or vexillology, was formalised by Whitney Smith in 1957. He then moved to organize various flag organisations and meetings including the first International Congress of Vexillology in 1965 and International Federation of Vexillological Associations.
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.
Governance
FIAV has a three-person Board consisting of a President, Secretary-General, and Secretary-General for Congresses. The Board manages the current affairs of FIAV and convenes the biennial sessions of the General Assembly, which are held during each International Congress of Vexillology. 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.
Officers
The current members of the FIAV Board are:
- Željko Heimer (President)
- Bruce Berry (Secretary–General)
- Graham Bartram (Secretary–General for Congresses)
Past officers
Office of FIAV President was previously held by:
- Louis Mühlemann, 1969 to 1973 ( Switzerland)
- Ottfried Neubecker, 1973 to 1981 ( Germany)
- Hugh Boudin, 1981 to 1993 ( Belgium)
- William G. Crampton, 1993 to 1997 ( UK)
- Michel R. Lupant, 1997 to 2019 ( Belgium)
Louis Mühlemann was also the honorary president from 1973 to at least 1988.
Members
The current members of FIAV are:
| Abrv. | Name | Country (& Territory) | Date of Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAV | Argentina Vexillology Association | Argentina | August 23, 1993 |
| ACV | Catalonian Vexillological Association | Spain ( Catalonia) | May 28, 1985 |
| BDA | Burgee Data Archives | Canada | August 14, 1997 |
| BHVS | Bulgarian Heraldry and Vexillology Society | Bulgaria | August 6, 2013 |
| BS | Bandiere Storiche ONLUS | Italy | August 6, 2013 |
| CBFA | Chesapeake Bay Flag Association | United States ( Delaware, Washington DC, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia) | July 3, 1995 |
| CEBED | Belgo-European Studies Center for Flags | Belgium | August 23, 1993 |
| CFA | The Canadian Flag Association | Canada | August 23, 1993 |
| CIDEC | Foundation Interdisciplinary Center for Cultural Studies | Argentina | August 23, 1993 |
| CISV | Italian Centre of Vexillological Studies | Italy | September 14, 1973 |
| CONAVEX | Corporación Nacional de Vexilología de Chile | Chile | July 16, 2019 |
| CVS | Czech Vexillological Society | Czech Republic | August 23, 1993 |
| DGF | German Vexillological Association | Germany | August 12, 1997 |
| FHF | Flag Heritage Foundation | United States | July 28, 2003 |
| FI | The Flag Institute | United Kingdom | June 24, 1971 |
| FOTW | Flags of the World | Worldwide (Based in Canada) | July 23, 2001 |
| FRC | The Flag Research Center | United States | September 7, 1969 |
| FSA | Flag Society of Australia | Australia | May 28, 1985 |
| GHVI | Institute of Genealogy, Heraldry and Vexillology | Lithuania | July 12, 2022 |
| GSI | Genealogical Society of Ireland | Ireland | May 28, 1985 |
| GWAV | Great Waters Association of Vexillology | United States ( Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio) | July 29, 1999 |
| HGZD | Croatian Heraldic and Vexillological Association | Croatia | August 7, 2007 |
| HS | Heraldica Slovenica | Slovenia | August 23, 1993 |
| HVK | Heraldic Society "The Clover Leaf" | Germany | August 23, 1993 |
| IHW | Institute of Heraldry and Vexillology | Poland | July 23, 2001 |
| IVA | Indian Vexillological Association | India | August 7, 2007 |
| JAVA | Japanese Vexillological Association | Japan | July 23, 2001 |
| KVV | Breton Vexillology Society | France ( Brittany) | August 12, 1997 |
| NAVA | North American Vexillological Association | North America ( United States & Canada) | September 7, 1969 |
| NEVA | New England Vexillological Association | United States ( Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont) | July 29, 1999 |
| NF | Nordic Flag Society | Nordic Europe ( Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden) | September 14, 1973 |
| NVvV | Dutch Association for Vexillology | Netherlands | September 7, 1969 |
| NZFA | New Zealand Flag Association | New Zealand | July 3, 1995 |
| MGD | Macedonian Heraldic Society | North Macedonia | July 16, 2019 |
| PFA | Portland Flag Association | United States ( Oregon) | August 6, 2013 |
| PTW | Polish Vexillology Society | Poland | July 3, 1995 |
| RCVH | Russian Centre of Vexillology and Heraldry | Russia | July 28, 2003 |
| SAVA | Southern African Vexillological Association | Southern Africa ( Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini, Zambia, Zimbabwe) | July 2, 1991 |
| SCHG | State Council of Heraldry at the Parliament of Georgia | Georgia | August 2, 2011 |
| SEV | Spanish Society of Vexillology | Spain | June 29, 1979 |
| SFV | French Society of Vexillology | France | July 1, 1991 |
| SGHAPG | Society of Genealogy, Heraldry and Archivist "Paul Gore" | Moldova | July 23, 2001 |
| SSV | Swiss Society for Vexillology | Switzerland | September 7, 1969 |
| SVB | Belgium Vexillology Society | Belgium | June 29, 1979 |
| SVI | Flag Data Center | Czech Republic | July 28, 2003 |
| SVPR | Rotterdam Flag Parade Foundation | Netherlands | August 2, 2011 |
| THVA | Transylvanian Heraldic and Vexillological Association | Romania ( Transylvania) | July 12, 2022 |
| UHT | Ukrainian Heraldry Society | Ukraine | July 3, 1995 |
| VAST | Vexillological Association of the State of Texas | United States ( Texas) | July 23, 2001 |
| VSS | Vexillological Society (Singapore) | Singapore | July 12, 2022 |
| WVRI | World Vexillological Research Institute | Germany | August 23, 1993 |
International Congresses of Vexillology
It has been suggested that this section be split out into another article. (Discuss) (September 2023) |
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.
Since 1969, FIAV has sponsored the biennial International Congresses of Vexillology (ICV) with assistance of a local organizing committee. The Congresses have been held in:
- 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)
- San Antonio (2019)
- Ljubljana (2022)
- Beijing (2024)
ICV 31 is planned to be held in Paris, France in 2026.
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.
FIAV honours and medals
Many awards and medals are given out to members of the FIAV or members of an FIAV associated Organization for various reasons. 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.
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. Frederick Brownell, who designed the South African flag, received the award twice.
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