The flag of the Central African Republic (CAR) is more than decoration: it is a political program and cultural history stitched into cloth. Officially adopted on 1 December 1958, it carries a design by Barthélemy Boganda, an important centralafrican politician—melding colonial-era references, the Pan-African idea, and a pledge to unity. 

This week, the capital of the Central African Republic (CAR), Bangui, hosts a historic and high-stakes event: the Conference of Heads of State of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC).