OCTOBER 20, 2025 — After nearly a century, the town of General Mosconi in northern Argentina now has official symbols representing its identity, reports Página 12.
Through a public contest called “Nuestra Bandera, Nuestro Escudo: Nuestra Identidad” (“Our Flag, Our Coat of Arms: Our Identity”), residents and students helped create a flag and a coat of arms that reflect the town’s history and values. The initiative was led by teacher and cultural secretary Ramón Barnera, who had long envisioned the project.
“The idea of the contest was already latent in the Mosconi City Council, but it never materialized,” Barnera said. “Talking with former councilman Esteban Vargas, we discussed the need for municipal patriotic symbols. From there, I began to study vexillology and heraldry.”
The call for submissions drew dozens of designs from locals. “It was emotional to see the community respond. Each design came with a story about what it means to be from Mosconi,” he added.
The winning coat of arms came from 18-year-old Alejandra López, a student at the School of Commerce. “My father told me stories about the trains, oil, and the green surroundings. That inspired me,” she said.
Her design includes railway tracks, landscapes, and oil elements as symbols of the town’s spirit. “It makes me so happy that my design represents the place where I was born and grew up.”
The flag was created by Melani Sosa, a third-year student at the Technical School of Campamento Vespucio. Her flag features green for the forests, white for unity, and brown for the earth and Indigenous heritage, along with lapacho flowers, an oil tower, and a sun. “The tower honours YPF’s history in Mosconi, and the sun represents energy and hope,” she explained, referring to the Argentine energy company. “I felt very proud, my friends were very happy, and my family too: my mom and dad congratulated me with tears in my eyes.”
For Barnera, the new emblems mark more than just official symbols. “They reflect our history, our effort, and who we are. Mosconi now has its flag and coat of arms — but above all, it has a community that recognizes itself.”
Image: Página 12
