Survey: If Malta Were To Remove The George Cross, How Should The Flag Be Redesigned?
Recently, there’s been a bit of a national divide regarding whether or not the George Cross should be removed from the Maltese flag.
Some argue that it’s a pitiful reward for the destruction that the country endured during WWII, while others say that it’s an ode to our history that shouldn’t be disrespected.
Nonetheless, the argument for removal got us wondering, how should the flag look with a complete redesign?
Through this survey, we’re looking for the most creative designs for a completely new Maltese flag, to make it more exciting and still representative of our culture.
Your suggestions will be reviewed by the Lovin Malta team, and our favourites will be posted on our Instagram where the public will get to decide their winner.
This whole debate was sparked by leading criminal lawyer Franco Debono who urged the nation to consider revamping its flag by removing the George Cross emblem from it.
“From the little research I carried out, it seems the British usually give the George Cross to sergeants, constables, captains, lieutenants, majors, corporals, superintendents, chief officers and so on, some 400 people in total.”
“I don’t think that an honour that is given to individuals to display on their chests should be on our national flag.”
“While removing the George Cross, we should also sweep out the colonial and servile mentality that is still stifling the nation and against which I had rebelled as an MP.”
Instituted by King George VII in 1940 to recognize acts of gallantry, the George Cross has been awarded 409 times so far, 406 times of which were given to individuals.
The people of Malta were the first to be awarded the George Cross collectively in 1942, when King George VI decided to recognise the nation’s heroic struggle against the attacks it faced during the Second World War.
It has since been issued collectively two more times, to the Royal Ulster Constabulary in 1999 and the National Health Service in 2021.
Debono’s suggestion unsurprisingly ignited some controversy, with many arguing that the George Cross has become a part of our national identity since it serves as a reminder of Malta’s heroic bravery during the war, while others say that it’s ultimately a symbol of the country’s colonial days.
No matter what you think, fill out Lovin Malta’s survey to let us know your reasoning for or against the removal of the George Cross from our national flag. And if you agree with Debono, let your creative juices flow by designing a totally new flag that Malta could possibly adopt.
Do you think that the George Cross is a symbol of Malta’s colonial past or an ode to the country’s bravery?
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