Mashable: This is the royal order.

Saudi Arabia has announced March 11 is to be celebrated as their National Flag Day on a yearly basis, reports Saudi Gazette. The news was announced Wednesday by King Salman, custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, where he noted how it is to honour the founding of the nation.

#SaudiArabia names March 11 as Flag Day — https://t.co/MhsMBVR31t pic.twitter.com/Ra5datxhiN

— Saudi Gazette (@Saudi_Gazette) March 1, 2023
Speaking about the date, King Salman explains that King Abdul Aziz hoisted the flag on the 27th of Dhul Hijjah 1355 AH, which is March 11, 1937 AD. However, his decision to celebrate flag day is due to what it stands for throughout Saudi’s history since it was founded in 1139 AH, corresponding to 1727 AD.

For Saudi, the middle of the flag is a symbol of the declaration of Islam and its message of “peace”, upon which the kingdom was built. As for the sword on the flag, it is an emblem of “strength, dignity, wisdom and status”, as well as “cohesion, coalition and national unity.”

#VIDEO: #SaudiArabia declares March 11 Flag Day — https://t.co/MhsMBVR31t pic.twitter.com/mKIeWRzFDv

— Saudi Gazette (@Saudi_Gazette) March 1, 2023

The King said that “for nearly three centuries”, the Saudi flag has seen the “country’s unification” which was headed by the “Saudi state”, while “the citizens” looked at the flag as “a banner of pride and elegance.”

King Salman adds that the decision to make March 11 a national flag day occurred after considering the Kingdom’s Basic Law of Governance and the Flag Law.