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National symbols

The flag and the anthem of Irad were adopted by the Provisional Government in May 1992 and confirmed by the State Symbols Act of 1993. They have been kept by every Iradi administration since, and are used on both sides of the Qara-Chik line.

The flag

Flag of Irad: a white stallion beneath a star, a horseshoe, an inscription and a wreath of wheat on a crimson field

Download the flag (SVG)

Description

A crimson field bearing a roundel in ivory: a white stallion in gait facing the hoist, a five-pointed star above it, an inverted horseshoe on the hoist side, the words azat bol (“be free”) in Old Turkic (Orkhon) letters arched along the top, and two ears of wheat. Proportions 1:√2. Reference colours: crimson #AA0000, ivory #FFF6D5. The official description was issued by the Department of Public Information in 2015.

Meaning

  • Crimson: the banners of the 1916 revolt.
  • The stallion: Irad's horses, the Chongtor and the Akyel, and the land where the horse was first tamed.
  • The star: Polaris, called Irad, which gave the country its name.
  • The inverted horseshoe: the Fallen Rider, in memory of the martyrs of 1916, of the purges and of both civil wars.
  • The inscription: the call to freedom.
  • The wheat: the farming life of the river valleys.

The emblem

The roundel of the flag, on a crimson disc, is used as the emblem of the Office of the Governor: on its seal, its documents and Government House. It may not be used commercially without the permission of the Department of Public Information.

The anthem

“The Spirit of Irad” (Irad Ruhu). Music by Asan Jumabaev, words by Cholpon Myrzakulova. First sung at the proclamation of the Republic in Talas on 11 March 1992.

Three stanzas and a refrain: the mountains, rivers and horse herds of Irad; those who died for the country; and the star that guides the nation. The official text is in Iradi, with an official English version (1993). Schools sing the first stanza and the refrain.

The anthem is performed on Irad Day, at the opening of each session of the Mejlis, at the inauguration of the Governor and at military ceremonies.

National day

Irad Day, 11 March, marks the proclamation of the Republic of Irad in Talas in 1992. It is the national holiday, kept on both sides of the line, with the raising of the flag in Talas, races and the final of the President's Cup at the Irad State Hippodrome.