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Yemen
Since the civil war broke in 2015, Yemen has counted thousands of dead and nearly 2 million refugees. Violence between Sunnis and Shiites is as present in everyday life as in the flag of this nation in the Arabian Peninsula.
Red symbolizes the blood shed during Yemeni history, while black depicts mourning and the spirit of revenge. At the same time, these choices lead to failure in the flag’s primary function, which is to be different from other flags. This layout of black, red, and white stripes makes it almost identical to the flags of Iraq, Egypt, and Syria.
Our proposal should represent the two groups in conflict and to remind people and sectors seeking unity and cooperation within the territory.
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Yemen Without Blood
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Elements
The flag has two lines crossing each other. They represent the Shiites and the Sunnis, united by this timeline and forming an alliance toward a shared future for Yemen.
The vertices illustrate the shape of the strait that separates the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which is a crucial geographical feature for world trade and on the shores of which historical civilizations have developed.
The inspiration for the intertwined design comes from traditional Yemeni architecture, as seen in frescoes of Sana’a’s main historical buildings.
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Colors
Green represents Islam and, at the same time, is one of the four colors of the pan- Arabism movement, celebrating the common cultural origins of the people in the Arabian Peninsula.
Through the union between art and architecture, and land and sea, as well as among the people, we hope this flag can inspire more peaceful attitudes in Yemen.
