Turkish Flag

Turkish flag includes the holy symbols of Turkish nation, moon and star. It is a red  flag with a white moon and star in centre. It is referred to the red banner in the Turkish national anthem. For present-day Turkish Republic, it symbolises the national  independence war. The red colour symbolises the blood of Turkish soldiers died in the war and the star with moon symbolises the independence of the nation. The flag is very important and respectful for Turkish nation. Every Turkish citizen respect the flag and it is protected by law.

The flag was also used in ancient Turkish states and the Ottoman Empire. The Moon and star symbolize the ancient Turkish beliefs. According to those beliefs, four colours are associated with cardinal directions; blue east, white west, red South and black North. Red and white colour of the flag respresent the South-western branch of Turks (Oghuzes), the founders of present Turkey. 

Turkish Students

Portuguese National Flag

There were already 10 nationals flags across Portuguese History.

Nowadays, our flag has two colours – red and green – related to the Republican ideals.

The green symbolizes hope, freedom and means the change to republican governation occurred in 1910.

The red symbolizes the courage and blood of the Portuguese killed in combat and represents life.

Between the colours there is a yellow circle which is the armillary sphere, it represents the world that Portuguese navigators discovered in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and the people with whom they exchanged ideas and trade.

Inside the sphere we can find other symbols:

- the seven castles symbolizing the fortified locations that king Afonso Henriques conquered from the Moors;

- the five machines symbolizing the five Moorish Kings defeated by king Afonso Henriques in the Battle of Ourique;

- the five white points within each machine, representing the five wounds of Christ.

Authors

João Ferreira
Luis Marques