Out With the Old, in With the New

An old flag retired, a new symbol raised for all Syracusans

Thanks to the leadership of the Syracuse Flag Initiative, years of talk has finally turned to action in adopting a new city flag.

Go to Syracuse Flag Initiative

The Basics

The local non-profit organization Adapt CNY, in partnership with the city of Syracuse, NY, created the Syracuse Flag Initiative and put out a call for proposals to accept design submissions for a new Syracuse city flag. Designs were reviewed and judged by a non-partisan committee in addition to public input. The First Light flag was proposed June 14, 2023 and officially adopted as the new city flag of Syracuse, NY on June 20, 2023.

Why did the previous Syracuse city flag need to be redesigned?

  • The previous Syracuse city flag broke all five NAVA guidelines typically used when creating well-designed flags.

    View the Guidelines page for more details on these issues. View the Concept page to see the First Light flag which closely follows these guidelines.

  • The symbolism used on the previous Syracuse city flag, while historically important, was too literal, unsophisticated, and should’ve been reserved for use on the city seal.

    View the Guidelines page for more details on these issues. View the Symbolism page to learn about the symbolism of the First Light flag.

  • The vast majority of Syracusans had no idea that we even had a city flag. No city residents could identify this previous flag and so it went unrecognized.

    View the Usage page to see how the First Light flag can be marketed and shared with the community at large.

  • The Syracuse city seal, which is emblazoned in the center of the previous Syracuse city flag, was not meant to be admired or read from a distance. It was especially difficult to read on a piece of cloth that danced in the wind.

    View the Concept page to see how the First Light flag improves on the current flag’s readability.

  • The Syracuse city seal was the main point of interest on the previous Syracuse city flag. When a city seal, which represents the government of a city, is featured on a city flag that flag becomes representative of the city’s government. This should be avoided. Our city flag should represent the people, the land, the history, the future of Syracuse; not the government.

    View the Symbolism page to see how representation has been improved with the Flag Light flag.

  • No product manufacturers or designers were allowed to put the previous Syracuse city flag on merchandise due to restrictions that stem from issues with use of the city seal. A result of this strategy saw the University and its sports teams taking the lion’s share of city branding opportunities across the city. This lead to the identity of the city of Syracuse being intertwined with that of its University. This needs to be avoided so that the city of Syracuse can foster its own identity.

    View the Usage page to see how the First Light flag helps give the city it’s own identity and can be applied to countless local goods and services.

  • A city flag can be a platform from which new adaptations, variations and creative applications can spring to life. Design flexibility helps make that a reality. The previous Syracuse city flag design lacked the flexibility needed that would allow it to be adapted for use in creative ways.

    View the Usage page to see the advantages that design flexibility has provided the First Light flag.

  • The previous Syracuse city flag was not considered to be inspiring. It didn’t easily ignite a sense of pride in our fellow residents. A city flag should be a muse from which artists can draw inspiration for their artistic endeavors.

    View the Inspiration page to see what inspired the First Light flag. View the Usage page to see how the First Light flag can inspire our community.