Last August, the Vietnamese community in Australia – Victorian Chapter lobbied with other community organisations to ask the Yarra City Council to pass a motion recognising the flag of the former South Vietnam.

Now, almost a year later, the same council has listened to the community’s request, raising the Yellow Flag, also known as Co Vang, above its town halls in Richmond, Fitzroy and Collingwood on Vietnamese Veterans Day.

The Co Vang flag is a yellow flag with three horizontal red stripes. To many Vietnamese people living in Australia, it remains a significant part of their identity and  represents their contribution to the Australian society.

The council’s decision to fly the Co Vang flag follows similar gestures made by the City of Greater Dandenong and the City of Maribyrnong.

On Saturday, the first major flag-raising ceremony was officially held at the Yarra Town Hall in Richmond.

Among the guests invited, was Federal Greens MP Adam Bandt.

He thanked the Vietnamese community for contributing to the nation’s diversity.

“I’ve noticed that you’re very, very lucky to have such strong leadership in the community and I think you’re an inspiration not only to all of us but to all of the other communities that call Richmond and Melbourne home,” he said.

“Thank you for making this place such a good place to live. We feel very, very proud to be alongside you as neighbours.”

The crowd listens to a speech by Reverend Hoang Kim Huy. (Photo: TiVi Tuan-san)

Reverend Hoang Kim Huy, Parish priest of St John the Baptist Church in Clifton Hill, also gave a speech.

“This very current yellow flag has been officially recognised since 1890 under the reign of Emperor Thanh Thai, believed to be even dated back to the year 40 AD when the Trung sisters rose up against the aggressive invasion of the North,” he told the crowd.

“They fought to keep and reclaim 65 citadels and began the process of nation building and protection.”

Reverend Huy explained why the flag was meaningful, “The colour yellow is deeply and significantly connected to the heart and soul of the Vietnamese people and culture… Yellow… symbolises many things…”

“Yellow is the colour of the soil of the earth – as in Australia, golden soil for toil. Also the colour of the skin of the asian people in general, and certainly the Vietnamese one as well. Also, the colour of the royals… royalty.”

Councillor Daniel Nguyen (holding the microphone) delivers a speech. (Photo: TiVi Tuan-san)

Councillor Daniel Nguyen is a second generation Vietnamese living in Australia.

“I’m proud to be able to stand in front of an audience today and have Yarra Council acknowledge my cultural heritage and identity in the flying of the Co Vang,” he said.

“The Co Vang represents a sense of belonging rooted in our community’s shared stories and flying this flag allows us to express our culture by the community. In Richmond, we have the amazing Victoria precinct and the annual Lunar Festival – both magnificent examples of how we are able to share our culture,” Cr Nguyen added.

Steve Lowe, from the Vietnam Veteran’s Association, said the ceremony marked a new milestone.

“Today marks yet another chapter in the lives of the Vietnamese-Australian community, especially here in Victoria, more especially here in Yarra: the recognition of Co Vang,” he said.

“I have been fortunate to be involved with the Vietnamese-Australian community for over 40 years and during that time I witnessed many of our significant achievements and contributions both in Victoria and around Australia which are too numerous to mention but have impacted in some way on all the Victorians.”

The Vietnam War was the longest conflict in which Australians were involved in. More than 520 Australian troops were killed in the war and over 3,000 left wounded.

The war was against communist forces led by the former North Vietnam.

It ended in 1975 with the defeat of South Vietnam and resulted in a massive refugee crisis, with Vietnamese families fleeing to other countries such as the United States, France and Australia.

Click on the video below to watch the event.