Ceremonial pills: the display of flags outside public buildings

"From June to September I was unable to get this disgrace eliminated”: This is one of the many reports that have reached the editorial staff, which offer the opportunity to address a topic that is sometimes underestimated, but of interest to many, regarding the correct display of institutional flags in public buildings.

On the web, of course, there are several articles on the subject. What will be written here shortly certainly does not have the presumption of being new compared to the aforementioned, but, given the context in which it occurs (an online newspaper aimed, in particular, at the world of defense and, therefore, military) it has the hope of being able to be an additional help for those who want to refer to it.

The flag, it was said: let's start by saying that it, together with the national anthem, the President of the Republic and the Unknown Soldier, constitutes one of the symbols of the State.

The issue relating to its display outside public buildings is regulated by the Law 5 February 1998 n.22. In particular, it provides that¹:

• every building or public administration office must have flagpoles outside on which to display the Italian flag and, following the subsequent law no. 121 of 7 April 2000, also that of the European Union;
• the flags are displayed in good condition and correctly unfurled, that only one flag is displayed on each pole and that neither on it nor on the pole are there any writings or figures of any kind;
• finally, it is expected that each body will designate responsible for verifying correct exposure and that the administration covers the role of monitoring the work of the aforementioned.

The Italian and European flags must be displayed:

• outside the constitutional and constitutionally relevant bodies;
• the seat of the Government when the Council of Ministers is meeting;
• Ministries; regional, provincial and municipal councils, during meetings;
• the judicial offices;
• schools of all levels;
• the headquarters of the central bodies of each faculty of each state university.

In such cases, the Italian flag takes the first position on the right (on the left for those looking) and, next to it, the European flag.

The above flags are also displayed: outside the buildings where the Government commissioners in the regions and the Government representatives in the provinces (where applicable) are based; outside the offices of other peripheral State offices of general or managerial level, having a territorial jurisdiction no smaller than that of the province; outside the central offices of independent authorities and public bodies of a national nature, as well as their peripheral offices.

The flag of the Italian Republic and that of the European Union are also displayed outside the polling stations during consultations and outside the offices of Italian diplomatic and consular representations abroad.

Flags are still displayed on other buildings housing public offices and institutions on the following days: 7st January (tricolour festival), 11 February (Lateran Pacts), 25th April (liberation), 1 ° May (labor day), 9st May (Europe Day), 2nd June (Republic Day), September 28th (popular uprising in Naples), 4 October (Patron Saint of Italy), November 4 (National Unity Day); 24 October (United Nations Day) together with the United Nations flag; on other occasions and solemnities according to directives issued case by case by the President of the Council of Ministers or, at a local level, by the prefect.

As a sign of mourning Flags displayed outdoors are kept at half-mast. Two strips of black veil may be fitted to the upper end of the hoist.

How to display flags²

1. The national flag and the European flag, of the same size and material, are displayed side by side on poles or flagpoles placed at the same height.
2. The national flag is raised first and lowered last and occupies the place of honor, on the right or, if an odd number of flags are displayed, in the center. Where three fixed flagpoles are available and two flags are to be displayed, the central flagpole is left free.
3. The European flag also occupies second place in multiple displays, as mentioned above.

Some graphic examples³and of scheme⁴:

_{Daily display of the national and European flag at Palazzo Chigi: the Italian flag takes pride of place on the right.}

_{Flag of the Vatican State at Palazzo Montecitorio on the occasion of the Pope's visit, November 14, 2002: the Italian flag takes center stage. For reasons of courtesy, the flag of the foreign country is placed to its right.}

_{Flag of Rome Capital together with the national and European flag in the municipal building}

_{Every day on state buildings: the Italian flag takes the first position on the right (on the left for those looking) with the European flag next to it}

_{In the presence of a foreign guest in state buildings: the tricolour is in the centre, while the first position on the right is occupied by the guest flag for reasons of courtesy if the visiting authority has an equal or higher rank than the host.}

_{In the presence of a foreign guest belonging to the European Union on state premises: the Italian flag gives up the central position to the European flag and the guest flag occupies the first position on the right.}

_{Daily at Regional, Provincial, Municipal offices: the traditional flags, banners and gonfalons of the Regions, provinces and Municipalities must be placed alongside the flag of the Republic. We will therefore have the European flag on the right, the Italian flag in the centre and the flag of the Region/Province/Municipality on the left.}

_{In the presence of four flagpoles on Regional, Provincial, Municipal buildings: daily display in the buildings of Municipalities and Provinces belonging to Regions that provide for the display of their flag in all public buildings in the regional territory: in this case we will have the regional flag in first position on the right, followed by the Italian flag, the European flag and, lastly, the provincial/municipal flag.}

_{In the presence of a foreign guest at Regional, Provincial, Municipal offices: on the occasion of a visit by a foreign guest of higher or equal rank to that of the host, for reasons of courtesy and international custom, in the period strictly connected to the duration of the visit the national flag yields the position of honor to the guest, which will therefore be placed between the European flag and the Italian flag. If the rank of the guest is lower, the positions of the Italian and guest flags are reversed. The flag of the Region/Province/Municipality is in any case in fourth position.}

_{*Eleonora Spalvieri has a degree in Modern Languages ​​and Literatures. She obtained a first level master's degree in "HR Specialist - Human Resources Professionals". She attended, among other things, the Course in "Expert in National and International Ceremonial and Protocol" at the SIOI - Italian Society for International Organization. She speaks fluent English, French and Spanish, as well as LIS - Italian Sign Language.}