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International Banner of Peace (Roerich Movement flag)

by Alvin Helms, 29 Nov 1999

Origin and symbolism of the flag
Roerich Peace Pact

See also:

Pacifism

Other sites:

Madonna Oriflamma, the original paining where the flag appears for the first time
International Banner of Peace pact (at the Roerich Movement website)

Origin and symbolism of the flag

The world peace flag is based on a design by the Russian artist and mystic Nichola Roerich, who proposed the red circle with three dots inside as an international symbol to mark museums, schools, and similar cultural landmarks to prevent destruction by aerial bombs … this about the time of World War I. The idea was similar to the large red cross that marks hospitals and hospital tents in war zones … similarly to “prevent” bombing and strafing of helpless patients and medical personnel. The concept has been lost in today’s world.
William Dunning, 17 Mar 1998

The International Banner of Peace has three dots representing the past, present and future enclosed in a red circle representing infinity. It was devised after World War I by Nicholas Roerich, a Russian artist of German descent who spent most of his life in India painting and developing mystic philosophies. (Source: The Moscow Times, March 25, 1998)
Alexei Arkhipov, 25 Mar 1998

Nikolaĭ Reriq | Николай Рерих was a german descent russian mysticist, painter and philosopher (approx. 1870-1946; original german spelling "Roerich"). He is very popular in nowadays Russia, where his followers are organized in a cultural movement more or less related with “New Age” tendencies. They use as their symbol the device shown above — which was orginally designed by Roerich himself and it is charged with some more or less deep symbolism: from memory, the three dots stand for art, science and philosophy (including religion), encircled and bounded toghether to form culture. This symbol appears on one of Roerich’s paintings, Madonna Oriflamma, from 1932, which depicts Saint Mary holding and showing a white cloth with it.

I know nothing of the current usage of this flag, p