SYMBOLS OF THE REPUBLIC
THE FLAG
In the meantime,
The flag of Benin is composed of two horizontal strips yellow (top) and red marked with a green band of equal width on the side of the spear.
The significance of the colors is explained in the national anthem of Benin, L'Aube Nouvelle: green recalls hope, red the courage of ancestors and yellow indicates the omen.
It was adopted on 16 November 1959 and was used for the first time on 1 August 1960. It was abandoned in 1975 during the Marxist-Leninist period (1972-1989) and then reused as from 1 August 1990.
THE COAT OF ARMS
The Coat of Arms of the Republic of Benin was re-adopted in 1990 after being replaced during the period from 1975 to 1990.
Blazon: A golden fort (Tata somba) with four pavilion towers; In the second also silver, the cross of the Order of the Black Star of Benin which is symbol of life; In the third still of silver, a coconut tree of fruity, fruity in nature, recalling the heroes; In the fourth, always of silver, a three-masted ship, evocative of the European penetration into the country. Shield supported by two panthers speckled in natural, stamped with two horns of abundance of sand (black) filled with corn and placed on a listel bearing the motto of Benin: "FRATERNITY - JUSTICE - WORK".
THE SEAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF BENIN
The Seal of the State, constituted by a disk of one hundred and twenty millimeters in diameter, represents:
On the obverse is a pirogue loaded with six stars, sailing on waves, accompanied to the head of an arch with a palm arrow supported by two reeds in saltire and, at the bottom, a banner bearing the motto "FRATERNITY - JUSTICE - WORK" with around it the inscription "Republic of Benin"; and
On the reverse a crown cut at the first Vert, the second party of gold and Gules, which are the three colors of the flag, the shield surrounded by two palms in the natural stems passed in saltire.
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF BENIN
The Constitution of 11 December 1990 was adopted to ensure political stability in Benin and to establish a pluralistic democracy and the rule of law.
THE NATIONAL ANTHEM: L’AUBE NOUVELLE
The New Dawn is the national anthem of Benin. It was written and composed by the Abbot Gilbert Jean DAGNON and adopted at the independence of Dahomey in 1960.
When in 1975 Dahomey was renamed to the Republic of Benin, the national anthem was retained, but the occurrences of Dahomey and Dahomean were replaced in the text by Benin and Benin respectively, which explains why some These alexandrines now have eleven syllables! Speech:
1 VERSE:
Jadis à son appel, nos aïeux, sans faiblesse
Ont su avec courage, ardeur, pleins d’allégresse
Livrer au prix du sang des combats éclatants
Accourez-vous aussi, bâtisseurs du présent,
Plus forts dans l’unité, chaque jour à la tâche,
Pour la postérité, construisez sans relâche.
Refrain :
Enfants du Bénin debout !
La liberté d’un cri sonore
Chante aux premiers feux de l’aurore
Enfants du Bénin, debout !
2 VERSE:
Quand partout souffle un vent de colère et de haine
Béninois, sois fier, et d’une âme sereine,
Confiant dans l’avenir, regarde ton drapeau
Dans le vert tu liras l’espoir du renouveau ;
De tes aïeux le rouge évoque le courage ;
Des plus riches trésors le jaune est le présage.
au refrain
3 VERSE :
Tes monts ensoleillés, tes palmiers, ta verdure,
Cher Bénin, partout font ta vive parure.
Ton sol offre à chacun la richesse des fruits.
Bénin, désormais que tes fils tous unis,
D’un fraternel élan partagent l’espérance.
De te voir à jamais heureux dans l’abondance.