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Each year we hold a Spring and a Winter Conference, and in 2021/22 we ran a special Golden Jubilee gala programme.

Spring Conference 2025

All welcome: £17–£47 plus booking fee.

View all ticket options and book online here.

Saturday 17 May, Bar Convent Living Heritage Centre, Blossom Street, York YO24 1AQ

  • 10.30am: registration opens
  • 11am–6pm: presentations (see below)
  • 7pm: President’s Drinks and River Cruise

Sunday 18 May

The Saturday conference programme will feature the following presentations:

  • The Contested Legitimacy of Croatian Symbols in the Anglosphere, 1973-99 – Stephen Rayner

Between 1941-45 the fascist Independent State of Croatia used the nation’s already well-established symbols, the chequerboard and the red-white-blue tricolour. Thereafter, the use of such symbols in diverse nationalist contexts caused recurring tensions among émigrés and diasporas, while wider academic and media interest peaked with the adoption of the current Croatian flag in 1990, the Yugoslav Wars and the 1998 World Cup. Stephen will explore how the contested legitimacy of Croatian symbols in the Anglosphere is more complex and multifaceted than previously acknowledged.

Mike’s presentation will document the heraldry, vexillology, branding, insignia, and visual identity of civil aviation in the United Kingdom. Starting with the formation of Imperial Airways in 1924, his talk outlines the development of a brand identity through the posters, aircraft markings, flags and insignia of the companies that later formed British Airways. Mike will chart the introduction in 1931 of the Civil Air Ensign that recognised civil aviation as a worthy flag bearer alongside the RAF and armed forces. He will also discuss the livery and tailplanes of BA, British Caledonian, and the flag carriers of the 1970s and 1980s.

  • An Introduction to Flags and Sashes – Gustavo Tracchia FF, founding member of the Argentine Association of Vexillology (AAV), NYC commissioner of the Buenos Aires CIDEC Foundation

The presidential sash is a national symbol closely linked to vexillology and Gustavo’s introductory study will highlight some eloquent examples of this unexplored subject. In Hispanic America, use of the sash was widespread in the early 19th-century independence struggles. In consequence, on becoming legally constituted states, many nations issued executive orders mandating the use of a presidential sash along with the other national symbols, and the practice continues to this day. Examples of the presidential sash in countries outside Hispanic America will show its influence in old and emerging nations alike. Finally, we will examine the sashes used by the Argentine provinces, and their links with the related provincial flag and/or coat of arms.

  • Uniting under One Banner: Designing a Flag for Planet Earth – Oskar Pernefeldt (President), IFOPE–O

Oskar Pernefeldt, designer of the International Flag of Planet Earth and President of its related nonprofit organisation IFOPE-O, is dedicated to promoting a flag that represents Earth – transcending national borders and political divides. As the flag’s awareness agency, IFOPE-O drives its adoption through outreach, collaborations, and advocacy. Mentioned in the EU Parliament, planted on Antarctica, and used by refugee movements, this flag showcases the power of vexillology to shape identity and inspire global action.

  • Richard, the Northern King – Graham Mitchell, Richard III Society, Yorkshire Branch Secretary

All most people know about Richard III are two allegations. Firstly, that he stole the Crown, which is untrue. And secondly that he murdered his nephews, for which there is absolutely no evidence. They are not aware of the absolute trust placed in Richard by his older brother, King Edward IV. In 1472, when Richard was aged just 20, Edward appointed him Lord President of the Council of the North, a post he held for the next 11 years. Richard’s time in the North was characterised by ‘Good Lordship’, using power and authority for the benefit of retainers, clients and those unable to protect themselves. He became a champion of equality before the law, treating rich and poor alike, winning loyalty and gaining affection. Those who knew him in those Northern years, noblemen and common soldiers alike, developed loyalties so firm that they followed him to their deaths at the battle of Bosworth in 1485.

  • Colours: Symbolism for Medium of Communication – Danladi Kole Bako, Visual artist, and founder of Bankoleart and VexDrum

Colours are a powerful, often subconscious, medium of communication, evoking emotions and conveying messages beyond words though their symbolic meanings can vary across cultures and contexts. Danladi’s talk will cover the importance of colour symbolism, both outdoor and indoor; human vision and perception; a survey of chromatic designs and demography; colour intelligence and colour as a form of hierarchy; and, finally, colour symbolism in vexillology.

  • An Introduction to Standards, Guidons, Colours, Guns and Truncheons – Geoff Parsons FFI, past Chairman of the Flag Institute

Geoff is a former naval officer who lectures mainly on naval flags and signal flags. He is often asked to explain the difference between royal, heraldic and military standards, and the choice of flag types for cavalry units, infantry units and other branches of the armed services. His presentation will cover units such as the Royal Artillery whose colours are represented by their guns, and the Gurkhas who carry a truncheon. He will also describe the colours of the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.