ECUADOR FLAG DAY

The National Government through the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces will
develop a series of commemorative events today for the National Day of the
Ecuadorian Flag. The central act will constitute the raising of the 8 flags that
were part of the country's history, from 1809 to the present.

The memorial events began at 8:30 a.m. at the Exhibition Palace (Ministry of
National Defense) and will continue at 10:00 a.m. at the Mariscal Sucre Cultural
Civic Center in Chillogallo, with the raising of the historical flags. Likewise, at
the Liberty Summit at 11:00 a.m., with the presence of high school students, the
national flag was raised and later a conference was given on Flag Day.

Our flag is the sublime symbol of nationality, it represents the history of glory
and the future of hope of all Ecuadorians; It reflects the dignity and freedom of
the Homeland that flames with splendor in the skies of the universe. When we see
the National Pavilion flying we remember our ancestors who guided us along the path
of honor, solidarity, patriotism and democracy.

The national flag, until it had a definitive composition, was the subject of many
changes in the historical development of Ecuador. The transformations of the
patriotic symbol are recorded from the glorious struggle of August 10, 1809 to the
present, passing through the memory of the glorious epic of May 24, 1822.

The flag of the Republic of Ecuador is the symbol that represents the country and
is made up of the colors yellow, blue and red. The yellow stripe represents the
richness and fertility of the soil; blue represents the Ecuadorian mares and skies;
and red the blood of those who gave their lives for the freedom of the country. In
addition, it has the national coat of arms in the center of it.

For the month of May 1822, the tricolor flag was displayed for the first time;
after the Battle of Pichincha, as a symbol of freedom. However, the history of the
country accounts for numerous independence events, in which there were different
proposals for national symbols. For example, in Guayaquil they opted for a flag
with white, blue and a star located at the top.

By the year 1830 the tricolor flag was used again. However, it was replaced on
March 6, 1845 by the light blue flag that represented the three departments of that
time: Guayaquil, Quito and Cuenca. The design of the flag was made up of three
columns, and the colors blue and white.

On September 26, 1860, the flag that currently represents the history, hope and
freedom of the Republic of Ecuador was raised. Under the Government of Gabriel
Garc�a Moreno, it was decreed that the symbol that would represent the country
would be the tricolor flag, since this was used as an emblem of victory in the
independence deeds when the territory belonged to Gran Colombia.

The Andean Parliament joins the celebration of Ecuadorian Flag Day, honoring the
history the country went through to achieve its sovereignty and freedom, and
recognizing the flag as a symbol of the greatness of the Ecuadorian nation.