Argentina – Flag Day in Rosario, Santa Fe
Flag Day Parade Honours Argentina's Flag and Its Creator Belgrano
Jun 17, 2009
In the years of Argentina's struggle for independence, its flag was created by General Manual Belgrano and hoisted for the first time near the Paraná River, opposite Rosario, in 1812. Flag Day is celebrated in honour of the Argentinian flag and to commemorate its creator.
Flag Day – a National Holiday
In 1812, General Manuel Belgrano commanded the army in a battle along the Paraná River for Argentina's independence from Spanish colonisation. According to the story, Belgrano noticed that the soldiers fighting for independence and those fighting for the Spanish Crown were both using the same [Spanish] flag, which led to confusion. Therefore Belgrano decided to create his own flag and since 1812 the Argentinian flag has had the colours white and blue, to which later the yellow "Sun of Mayo" was added.
June 20th was chosen as a national holiday because General Belgrano died on June 20th, 1820. As is the case with some of the national holidays in Argentina, Flag Day will always be scheduled on the third Monday of the month, in order to create a long weekend. In most Argentinian cities, Flag Day goes by unnoticed and means nothing more than that all offices, schools and sometimes shops are closed for the day. Since Rosario is the cradle of Argentina's flag, Flag Day here includes a parade which will always be held on June 20th. In addition to the long weekend, public offices and schools will also be closed on June 20th.
The Flag Day Parade in Rosario
On Flag Day, an "acto" will be held. "Acto" is a general term for a public meeting during which the president, or another top leader of the country, will appear to give a speech. The Flag Day parade is organised around the Monument of the Flag, which is situated along the Paraná River, where stands are constructed to seat high-level officials.
Attending a Flag Day parade in Rosario is a good way to get a feeling for the pride Argentinians take in their country. During the parade, members of all Argentinian military units are presented as well as war veterans. Whereas the veterans of the United Nations, who served in former Yugoslavia, get just as much attention as any other group, the veterans of the Falklands War are warmly and loudly applauded by the public. The Falklands War, which took place in the 1980s, is still an important topic in Argentinian lives, education and discussions. The Argentinians call the Falkland Islands "Islas Malvinas".
After the marching of all the official groups, it is time for the civilians to do their share, which turns the parade into a true happening of the people. An enormous Argentinian flag -– some claim the largest in Argentina, others even argue the largest in the world – is carried through the streets of Rosario by a few hundred people, which is quite an extraordinary sight.
Commemorations of Manuel Belgrano
General Manuel Belgrano is honoured throughout the country with large statues, like on Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires, and in front of the cathedral in Luján. Furthermore, his image is printed on the Argentinian 10 pesos bill.
The Monument of the Flag houses General Manuel Belgrano's crypt. The monument also has an Honour Room that displays the flags of all the countries on the American continent [open on Mon-Fri, 09am-18pm, entrance free of charge]. The top of the edifice offers splendid views of Rosario and the Paraná Delta [same opening hours, entrance fee of 2 pesos].
The historic city of Rosario has much more to offer than the Monument of the Flag. The building is connected with Plaza de Mayo [where Rosario's old city centre starts] by the "Pasaja Juramento", a beautiful footbridge lined with water mirrors and sculptures by national sculptor Lola Mora.
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