Commonwealth Games

Last modified: 2006-12-30 by rob raeside
Keywords: british empire | commonwealth of nations | commonwealth games | international organization |
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7 August 2002, by Dean Thomas

• Origin of the flag and seal
• History
• The Previous Commonwealth Games Ceremonial Flag and Seal (1978-1998)
• Local flag of 1978 Commonwealth Games (Edmonton, Alberta)

See also:

• United Kingdom
• Colonies of the United Kingdom
• British Empire Games
• British Empire and Commonwealth Games
• British Commonwealth Games
• Dean Thomas's page about the flags of the Commonwealth Games.
• International Organizations

Origin of the flag and seal

The Commonwealth Games Federation changed their seal in early 2001. According to the CGF Brand Standards Manual, the components of the new seal are described thus: The Commonwealth Games' identity, the Bar, visually represents the Games' effort to raise the bar of sport for all humanity. As such, a strong horizontal bar forms the key element in the Commonwealth Games Mark. The Bar is supported on either end by two broad, hemispheric strokes, and in the centre by three converging points, which represent the trinity of ideals the Games embraces: Humanity, Equality, and Destiny. Together, the forms create a mark that is at once powerful and subtle, a beautifully timeless graphic representation of the Commonwealth Games.

As the previous Ceremonial Flag was based on the old seal design, a new flag had to be created to reflect the new emblem. The new flag was used for the first time at the XVII Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England (25 July to 4 August, 2002).
(Source: Commonwealth Games Federation )
Dean Thomas, 17 May 2002

image by Eugene Ipavec, 25 March 2006

This flag was seen in use at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
A.P. Burgers, 23 March 2006

History

The Emblem and flag of the Commonwealth Games has undergone several evolutions, due to the changing of the name of the Games:

1930-1952:    British Empire Games
1954-1966:    British Empire and Commonwealth Games
1966-1974:    British Commonwealth Games
1974-2001:    Commonwealth Games (First Flag Variant)
2002-now:     Commonwealth Games (New Flag Variant)

The Previous Commonwealth Games Ceremonial Flag and Seal (1978-1998)

4 March 1998 by Dean Thomas.

This flag was first used at a Commonwealth Games at the XI Games at Edmonton, Canada (1978), and for the last time at the XVI Games at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (1998).

The Seal differed from the Ceremonial Flag only in that the chain was laid out in a pentagonal configuration. This configuration represented the five geographical regions of the world where the member nations of the Commonwealth are located.

21 May 2002 by Dean Thomas

Local flag of 1978 Commonwealth Games (Edmonton, Alberta)

image by Darrell Neuman

Edmonton hosted the 11th Commonwealth Games in August 1978 which were officially opened by the Queen. This is the flag of these Games.
Darrell Neuman, 1 May 2006