“Who would’ve thought there would be this many flags representing so many countries in the world?” I said out loud as I walked into the commons of Tallwood High School. And looking up at the banners made me start to wonder, how many of us actually know the names of the countries these flags represent and the dozens of some of these cultures being within our own school? Some may argue that knowing the different flags of countries around the world isn’t important, while others argue that knowing the flags of each country is a skill that schools should teach. It’s always important to be aware of the world around you and the banners that represent each individual. In order for societies, countries, and the world to grow, we need to be open minded and understanding. Something as simple as that, is the first step towards a peaceful community.
“Knowledge is power,” is a quote often said by many of our elders, but what does that statement mean? To further elaborate on this saying, it never hurts to learn more than what we expect to learn, and sometimes the topics we find “silly” or “a waste of brain space” can be useful knowledge we use in the future. As a society, sometimes we allow ignorance to take control of our awareness, and we label and rank things within the importance of our personal beliefs and morals. When in reality, some topics, like global awareness, should not be a topic of debate. Rather it is a topic everyone should be mindful of. As individuals, we cannot contribute to society effectively if we don’t care to understand each other. In order to create a positive working system, we need to allow perspective.
The lack of representation in schools, the media, and other outlets of information is another huge factor that negatively affects the progression of society. Representation is sparked through the smallest things, like curiosity. When knowing the names of flags and the different countries they represent, we are more likely to be drawn into a topic when we recognize the colors, shapes, or hear the names of these countries since we know the base of what is being talked about. Making an effort to have knowledge of something so simple can make a much bigger impact than we think.
Many individuals strongly believe that the knowledge of flags is not a valuable life skill and can argue that they are just pieces of fabric thrown together. When the reality of it is, flags hold the history of people, have been changed over time through leaders, and are representative of the mistreatment and resilience of those individuals. The roots of each flag run deep into our society. Flags enable a sense of pride through billions, giving people a sense of belonging and purpose. Every needle, thread, and stitch contributes to the unity of one nation.
So, as people who seek humanity and strive to create a better world, the first thing we can start with is learning the names of every flag. The effort we put towards learning our communities can create a domino effect through generations.
