Flag: Sudan

Sudan itself: the country, its people and their pride.

The flag, adopted in 1970, uses the pan-Arab colours red, white, black and green, shared with flags such as Jordan’s and Palestine’s. The usual explanation: red for the struggle and those who died for the country, white for peace, black for Sudan (the name comes from the Arabic for “land of the Black people”) and green for Islam and prosperity. Not every Sudanese person feels the Arab-colours design represents the whole country, so a flag debate can be a debate about identity.

In everyday messages it simply means “Sudanese”: in profile names of people abroad, in Eid and wedding greetings, under photos of Sudanese food or music, and when the national football team plays.

Why is someone posting it with news or a prayer?

Usually to ask you not to look away from Sudan.

In April 2023 war broke out between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group, and millions of people fled their homes. Many posts with 🇸🇩, including the “All Eyes on Sudan” wave of 2024, ask the world to pay attention to a crisis people feel gets little coverage. Beside 🤲, 💔 or 🙏 it usually reads as prayers and grief for people there.

Blue sometimes travels with it. In 2019, during the revolution that ended Omar al-Bashir’s 30-year rule, people turned profile pictures blue for Mohamed Mattar, a young protester killed in Khartoum whose favourite colour was blue. The campaign was called Blue for Sudan.

If a Sudanese friend sends it with sad news, reply as you would to any family worry: ask how their people are.