MONROVIA — As Liberia commemorated National Flag Day, the Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL) has called on Liberians to look beyond the celebration of the Lone Star and renew their commitment to peace, national unity, reconciliation, justice and inclusive development.
By Patience M. Jones,[email protected]
In a National Flag Day Message, WONGOSOL described the Liberian flag as more than a national symbol, saying it represents the country’s sovereignty, shared identity, resilience, unity and hope.
The organization also used the occasion to honor the visionary Liberian women led by Mrs. Susannah Lewis, who contributed to the creation of Liberia’s national flag in 1847.
According to WONGOSOL, the contribution of these women is a powerful reminder that women have been central to Liberia’s nation-building journey from the country’s earliest days.
“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,” the organization stated.
WONGOSOL said Liberian women have, across generations, sustained families and communities, built local economies, educated children, defended human rights, provided public leadership, and contributed to Liberia’s democracy, peace and national development.
The organization particularly highlighted the role women played during Liberia’s civil conflict, noting that women crossed religious, political, ethnic and social divisions to demand an end to violence and contribute to the restoration of peace.
Beyond the Flag: A Call for Reconciliation
As Liberia marked National Flag Day more than two decades after the end of the country’s civil conflict, WONGOSOL urged citizens and national leaders to reflect on the kind of Liberia being built beneath the Lone Star.
The organization stressed that sustaining peace requires more than simply preventing another war.
It called for deeper efforts to heal wounds, promote justice and accountability, rebuild public trust and advance national reconciliation.
WONGOSOL also called for safe and meaningful spaces where Liberians can openly discuss the country’s past, while ensuring that victims and survivors are heard, respected and included in national processes.
The organization emphasized that women and young people must have meaningful opportunities to participate in shaping Liberia’s future.
“The Lone Star Belongs to All Liberians”
WONGOSOL pointed out that Liberia’s National Flag belongs to every Liberian and should not be associated with any political party, ethnic group, religion, county, generation or social class.
“The Lone Star belongs to all of us,” the organization stated, emphasizing that despite Liberia’s differences, citizens share one country, one national identity, and a collective responsibility for the nation’s future.
WONGOSOL, therefore, called on Liberians to choose unity over division, dialogue over conflict, reconciliation over resentment, inclusion over exclusion and peace over violence.
The organization also acknowledged the Government of Liberia for its efforts in sustaining more than two decades of peace and commended international and development partners for their continued support to Liberia’s recovery, democratic governance, human rights, women’s leadership, peacebuilding, justice and reconciliation efforts.
However, WONGOSOL cautioned that the work of building a peaceful, just, inclusive, and reconciled Liberia remains unfinished.
It urged the Government to increase 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.
Greater Investment in Women Peacebuilders
WONGOSOL also appealed to international and development partners to sustain their support for Liberia’s unfinished work of reconciliation, transitional justice, social cohesion, democratic governance and conflict prevention.
The organization particularly called for 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 communities.
WONGOSOL said patriotism must go beyond ceremonies and speeches, urging Liberians to demonstrate their love for country by protecting peace, respecting one another, upholding the rule of law, pursuing justice, strengthening national unity, and creating 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,” WONGOSOL intimated.
As the Lone Star flies across Liberia on National Flag Day, WONGOSOL called on citizens to draw inspiration from the courage of the women who helped create the national flag, the determination of women who fought for peace, and the resilience of Liberians across generations.
The organization concluded its message with a call for a Liberia that is more peaceful, reconciled, just, and inclusive.
