NATIONAL FLAG DAY MESSAGE FROM WONGOSOL

As Liberia commemorates National Flag Day, the Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL) joins Liberians at home and abroad in celebrating the Lone Star, a symbol of our sovereignty, shared identity, resilience, unity, and hope.

Today, we particularly honor the visionary Liberian women, led by Mrs. Susannah Lewis, who helped create our national flag in 1847. Their contribution is a powerful reminder that women have been at the heart of Liberia’s nation-building journey from its earliest days.

That legacy has continued across generations.

Liberian women have sustained families and communities, built local economies, educated generations, defended human rights, served in public leadership, and contributed significantly to democracy, peace, and national development. During Liberia’s years of conflict, women crossed religious, political, ethnic, and social divides to demand an end to violence and help restore peace.

From the women who helped create the Lone Star to the women who stood for peace, Liberian women have never simply watched our nation’s history unfold, we have helped shape it.

As we celebrate our flag, we must also reflect on the Liberia we are building beneath it.

More than two decades after the end of our civil conflict, our responsibility is not only to preserve the absence of war, but to deepen peace, heal wounds, advance justice and accountability, rebuild trust, and strengthen national reconciliation. We must continue creating spaces for honest dialogue about our past, ensuring that victims and survivors are heard and respected, and that women and young people participate meaningfully in shaping our collective future.

The Lone Star belongs to all of us. It belongs to no political party, ethnic group, religion, county, generation, or social class. It reminds us that despite our differences, we share one country, one national identity, and a collective responsibility for Liberia’s future.

On this National Flag Day, WONGOSOL therefore calls on all Liberians to choose unity over division, dialogue over conflict, reconciliation over resentment, inclusion over exclusion, and peace over violence.

WONGOSOL acknowledges the Government of Liberia for the progress made in sustaining more than two decades of peace and appreciates Liberia’s international and development partners for standing with the Liberian people throughout our transition from conflict to peace, recovery, democratic governance, and development. We particularly recognize the continued support for women’s leadership, peacebuilding, human rights, justice, and national reconciliation.

Yet, the work of building a peaceful, just, inclusive, and reconciled Liberia is not finished. We call on the Government to deepen investments in national reconciliation, justice and accountability, inclusive governance, peacebuilding, and the meaningful participation of women and young people at all levels of decision-making.

To our international and development partners, we say thank you for your solidarity and continued partnership with Liberia. As our country takes greater responsibility for its peace and development, we encourage sustained support for the unfinished work of reconciliation, transitional justice, social cohesion, democratic governance, and conflict prevention.

We particularly encourage increased, flexible, and sustainable investment in Liberian women’s rights organizations, women peacebuilders, and community-based structures that have worked for decades to prevent conflict, rebuild trust, support survivors, promote reconciliation, and sustain peace within our communities.

As we raise the Lone Star today, let our patriotism be demonstrated not only through words and ceremonies, but through how we protect our peace, respect one another, uphold the rule of law, pursue justice, strengthen national unity, and create opportunities for every Liberian to contribute and thrive.

Liberia’s peace was hard won. Protecting it, deepening it, and passing it to the next generation must remain our collective responsibility.

May the courage of the women who helped create our flag, the determination of the women who fought for peace, and the resilience of Liberians across generations continue to inspire us to build a more peaceful, reconciled, just, and inclusive Liberia.

Happy National Flag Day, Liberia!

One Nation. One People. One Liberia.

Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL)

Monrovia, Liberia