Beginning last spring, Lilley Library started a project to display a collection of international flags representing the diversity of Penn State Behrend more prominently along the walls of the Central Atrium of the Library. Currently, there are 76 flags displayed, seventy representing the home countries of our international students, and six representing the United States, Canada, the states of Pennsylvania, New York, and Ohio, and the LGBTQ Community. The display is a collaboration between the Penn State University Libraries and the Penn State Behrend Office of Educational Equity and Diversity Programs.
The following countries are represented in the display: Sudan, Nigeria, Angola, Eritrea, Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Gambia, Republic of Congo, Mauritius, Cameroon, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Austria, Greece, Netherlands, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Portugal, France, Poland, New Zealand, Spain, Cuba, Argentina, Venezuela, Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Russia, Honduras, Australia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Maldives, Armenia, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Iran, Japan, Macau, Taiwan, Vietnam, Nepal, Thailand, Mongolia, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, China,, Philippines, Indonesia, Peru, Panama, Bolivia, Ecuador, Brazil, Puerto Rico, and Morocco.
Currently we only have 70 flagpoles available for display. We are always taking suggestions for new nations to highlight as part of the display, and will “retire” flags at the end of the academic year to be replaced by new flags. If you have suggestions for a flag for display, please email the Library Director, Matthew Ciszek, at mciszek@psu.edu
Finally, some have asked why the flag of the United States is not in a place of prominence above the other flags. According to the US Flag Code (36 USC 10, §175(g)):
When flags of two or more nations are displayed, they are to be flown from separate staffs of the same height. The flags should be of approximately equal size. International usage forbids the display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace.
Thanks for all the interest in the flags!