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The Cyprus National flag came into use on the 16th of August 1960 under the Zurich and London Agreement
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The flag was selected after a flag competition won by a Turkish Cypriot school teacher an artist called Ismet Guney. The design was chosen by Makarios III, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, with the consent of Fazil Küçük, the then Vice President, in 1960.
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After loosing a battle against cancer, Ismet died at age 77 in 2009. What is significant is that in 2006, Guney sought payment from the government for his design plus compensation for copyright use. As stated by Ismet, Makarios promised 20 Cypriot pounds a year to Ismet for winning the flag competition but was never paid*. In the middle of the map, it is the shape of the island, that has copper color representing the historical attachment of Cyprus to the metal.
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Under the island’s map there are two olive tree branches representing peaceful and neutral symbols for the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots living in the island.
