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National Emblems

Animal, vegetable to mineral - how national emblems have been chosen

World Service,6 episodes

Episodes

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Wales - The Leek
Why did the Welsh take this mildly flavoured member of the onion family to heart?
13 Mar 1995,8 mins
Japan - Cherry Blossom
How the fleetingly beautiful Cherry Blossom became the official symbol of Japan
22 Mar 1995,8 mins
Guatemala - The Quetzal
Revered by the Maya, a symbol of national pride, the Quetzal is now an endangered species
27 Mar 1995,8 mins
Zimbabwe - The Bird
How the stone-carved Zimbabwe Bird became the national emblem of an independent nation
05 Apr 1995,8 mins
Iran - The Lion and the Sun
The lion and the sun motif remained the official symbol of Iran until the 1979 revolution
30 Apr 1995,8 mins
Croatia - The Kuna
How the kuna (or pine marten) became the Croatian national emblem in 1941
07 May 1995,8 mins