A flag should not be flown at half-mast at night, whether or not the flag is illuminated, unless direction to half-mast the flag for an extended period of time has been issued.

Costa Rica’s flag has its origins on September 24, 1848 when it was believed that Pacífica Fernández Oreamuno, the wife of Costa Rica’s first president, designed it.

It is inspired by France’s flag and it has three colours: in the middle, there is a red strip between two white ones, and following the white stripes there are two blue strips. The width of each strip is the sixth part of the flag’s width, except for the red strip that is the double.

Australian Flags can be used as an educational resource and a source of general information about the history and proper use of the Australian National Flag and other flags of Australia by the Australian community, flag marshals and visitors to Australia.

PM&C acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, water and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the elders past, present and emerging.

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Flags in any locality may be flown at half-mast on the death of a local citizen or on the day, or part of the day, of their funeral without the direction from the Australian Government.

Its colours have an intentional symbolism, the red colour represents the love for life, Costa Ricans’ bloodshed for liberty and their generous attitude; the blue colour represents Costa Rica’s sky and the perseverance to achieve their goals as well as their religious ideals; finally, the white colour represents the country’s peace.

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To bring the flag to the half-mast position, the flag must first be raised to the top of the mast (the ‘peak’), then immediately lowered slowly to the half-mast position. This position is estimated by imagining another flag flying above the half-masted flag – in European mythology, the flag flying above is the flag of death. The flag must be lowered to a position recognisably half-mast so that it does not simply appear to have slipped down from the top of the flagpole. An acceptable position would be when the top of the flag is a third of the distance down from the top of the flagpole.

When flying the Australian National Flag with other flags, all flags in the set should be flown at half-mast. The Australian National Flag should be raised first and lowered last.

When lowering the flag from a half-mast position, it should first be raised briefly to the peak, then lowered ceremoniously.

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