Surinam

2011
50 x 50 x 4,4 cm | 29 kg
Fused multilayer glass with inclusion of pigments

The national flag of Suriname was adopted upon its independence in 1975.
The history of the country dates back to the arrival of the first Native Americans, the Arawaks and the Caribs. Colonized by the Dutch in 1613, then occupied by the British until the Treaty of Bréda (1667), Suriname was awarded to the Dutch in exchange for New Amsterdam, future New York.
Dutch Guiana, as it was called, developed thanks to slave labor.
Having become an integral part of the Netherlands, the territory took the name Surinam in 1948 and did not gain independence until 1975.
The star represents the unity of all ethnic groups and cultures that coexist on its territory. It is traditionally interpreted as an exhortation to the altruism and self-sacrifice that the people must demonstrate in their march towards progress. Green evokes the fertility of meadows and forests. The red band symbolizes love and progress, the white represents justice, freedom and peace. As for the yellow of the star, it is the symbol of hope and prosperity.
For the record, red and green are the colors of the political party which worked for independence.