Flag Day in Panama — pride and glory of the nation — is celebrated annually the day after Independence Day. Every year, this significant date for Panamanians begins with a beautiful and solemn parade.
In the parade, a special place is given to the orchestra. The musicians play the trumpets, but the sound of the trumpets interrupts the drums, of which there are incredibly many on this day. Tourists who are not accustomed to such entertainment jokingly say that after watching the spectacle for too long, it is quite possible to go deaf. But for local residents, this — holiday is a great opportunity to relax and enjoy a spectacular show.
As for the state flag itself, it was first presented in 1903, and officially approved on November 4, 1925.
The Government of Panama gave an official description of the flag in Law № 15 of December 1949 as follows: the flag of the Republic is a rectangle divided into four equal parts. Upper quarter (closest to shaft) — white with blue five-pointed star; upper quarter (far from shaft) — red; lower quarter (closest to shaft) — blue, lower quarter (far from shaft) — white with red five-pointed star.
The flag should reflect the political situation in the country. The blue and red colors of the flag represent the colors of Panama's main political parties, the Conservatives and Liberals, respectively. White color reflects peace and purity. The blue star represents the purity and honesty of the life of the country, and the red star — represents the power and law of the country. Together, the stars represent the new Republic.
The design of the first flag was proposed in 1823: the flag featured seven red and yellow stripes, one quarter (top) of the flag was blue, and it housed two golden suns. They were connected by a narrow strip, which represented the two oceans connected by the Panama Canal. However, this design was not approved by Panamanian leader Manuel A. Guerrero, whose family members subsequently created the new flag.