The United Nations Flag Code and Regulations
V. MOURNING a. Upon the death of a Head of State or Head of
Government of a Member State, the United Nations Flag will be
flown at half-mast at United Nations headquarters, at the
United Nations Office at Geneva and at United Nations offices
located in that Member State; b. On such occasions, at
Headquarters and at Geneva, the United Nations Flag will be
flown at half-mast for one day immediately upon learning of
the death. If, however, Flags, have already been flying on
that day they will not normally be lowered, but will instead
be flown at half-mast on the day following the death; c.
Should the procedure in paragraph (b) above not be practicable
due to weather conditions or other reasons, the United Nations
Flag may be flown at half-mast on the day of the funeral.
Under exceptional circumstances it may be flown at half-mast
on both the day of the death and the day of the funeral; d.
United Nations offices other than those covered by paragraph
(a) a! bove in the case of the death of a national figure or a
Head of State or Head of Government of a Member State, will
use their discretion, taking into account the local practice,
in consultation with the Protocol Office of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and/or the Dean of the locally accredited
Diplomatic Corps; e. The head of a specialized agency is
authorized by the Secretary-General to lower the United
in cases where
he wishes to follow the official mourning of the country in
which the office of the agency is located. He may also lower
the United Nations Flag to half-mast on any occasion when the
specialized agency is in official mourning; f. The United
Nations Flag may also be flown at half-mast on special
instructions of the Secretary-General on the death of a world
leader who has had a significant connection with the United
Nations; g. The Secretary-General may in special circumstances
decide that the United Nations Flag, w! herever displayed,
shall be flown at half-mast during a period of official United
Nations mourning; h. The United Nations Flag when displayed at
half-mast should first be hoisted to the peak for an instant
and then lowered to the half-mast position. The Flag should
again be raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day;
i. When the United Nations Flag is flown at half-mast no other
flag will be displayed; j. Crepe streamers may be affixed to
flagstaffs flying the United Nations Flag in a funeral
procession only by order of the Secretary-General of the
United Nations; k. When the United Nations Flag is used to
cover a casket, it should not be lowered into the grave or
allowed to touch the ground. |