KohaCon24’s logo is inspired by the Québec flag, the fleurdelisé. The flag “azure with a silver cross quartered with four fleurs-de-lys of the same” was adopted in 1948. It has since become the symbol of the Québec nation and the fleur-de-lys has also become a symbol by extension. However, the white lily does not grow in Québec.

The flag’s fleur-de-lys

Although it does have the name “fleur-de-lys”, the flower adorning the Québec flag is an iris. More specifically, a yellow iris. Legend has it that Clovis, king of the Franks, chose this emblem following a battle where the yellow iris helped stabilize the banks of a river, allowing the army to cross it and the subsequent victory. Whether this legend is true or not, the yellow iris was well known to grow along the Lys River in Belgium. This iris, also called the “fleur-de-lys”, became and served for centuries as a symbol of French royalty. When the colony of New France was established, a flag with four fleurs-de-lys was chosen. This flag lasted until the colony was ceded to the British crown in 1760. It was not until the 20th century that fleurs-de-lys reappeared on a flag associated with Québec.

Iris Pseudacorus flower (CC0 AnRo0002)

The flag and coat of arms of the city of Montréal also feature the fleur-de-lys. This flag includes several symbols representing the origins of the main peoples who have shaped the history and landscape of Montréal: the fleur-de-lys for France, the Lancaster rose for England and Wales, the purple thistle for Scotland, the green clover for Ireland and the white pine for all the indigenous nations who have traditionally inhabited the territory of Montréal and its surroundings. This version of the flag was officially adopted in 2017.

Flag of Montréal

The KohaCon24 logo is inspired by the fleur-de-lis found on these flags. Its particularity is that it cleverly integrates the Koha logo. We hope that KohaCon24 will allow many to discover Montréal as well as Québec, thus fulfilling the promise made by the logo: the perfect synthesis between the French-speaking metropolis of North America and a Koha conference where we can learn and build together.

Koha’s egg and koru logo

For those interested, this logo was created by the artist Steve Poutré, a certified graphic designer and long-time collaborator of inLibro, organizer of this year’s KohaCon.