Why the Earth needs an Earth flag

There is a flag most people have never seen.

It has no national colors.
No borders.
No allegiance to politics or ideology.

But once you understand what it stands for, you might never see the world the same way again.

It’s called the International Flag of Planet Earth:

Seven white interlocking circles forming a flower on a deep blue field—symbolizing the interconnectedness of all life on Earth.

Yesterday, we invited the creator of this flag, Oskar Pernefeldt, to share his vision on stage at Mindvalley University 2025.

Yesterday, we invited the creator of this flag to share this vision at Mindvalley U.

The Earth is more than a design

It’s a symbol. 

A gentle revolution in fabric form.
A reminder that we are not just citizens of countries…
We are Earthlings.

The origin of the Earth flag

Swedish designer Oskar Pernefeldt created the Earth Flag as part of his graduation project.
The question was simple—and profound:

“If humanity ever had to represent itself in space… what flag would we fly?”

In his talk at Mindvalley U, Oskar took us back to 1969… to the moon landing.

“It was a moment for all of humanity,” he said. “And yet, we planted just one nation’s flag.”

He reminded us: the astronaut was American, but the achievement was global:

• The rocket design? German engineers.
• The optics? Swiss.
• The math? Indian.
• The cosmology that made it possible? Italian.

It wasn’t just an American milestone.
It was a human one.

So he designed a flag for the species.

Why symbols matter

Flags aren’t just colored cloth.
They’re identity made visible.

They bind people into belonging.
They remind us who we are—and who we care about.

In TRIBE, author Sebastian Junger describes a study where Christians were more likely to give money to beggars, right after seeing a cross.
The symbol triggered compassion.
It reminded them of who they were.

That’s the power of symbols.
They bypass the intellect and speak straight to the soul.

The Earth Flag does exactly that.
It’s not a protest.
It’s not a brand.
It’s a reminder:

You are part of something bigger.

Darwin’s forgotten truth

I believe the Earth flag represents the next evolution of humanity. Namely, the unification of human identity across political divisions and borders. And it turns out Darwin agrees. 

Charles Darwin—yes, survival-of-the-fittest Darwin—also wrote about something far more poetic.

It was called the Diffusion of Sympathy.

Here’s what he said in The Descent of Man (1871):

“As man advances in civilization… he ought to extend his social instincts and sympathies to all the members of the same nation… and finally to the whole human race… until they are extended to all sentient beings.”

Darwin believed empathy evolves—that our moral circle expands as civilization matures.

From self → to tribe → to nation → to all of humanity → to all life.

The Earth Flag is the banner of that next step.
It’s a symbol of a growing identity:

We are one species. And our biggest global decisions—from climate to migration to peace—must come from Earth-consciousness, not blind nationalism.

Astronauts call it the “overview effect”

In my interview with Oskar, I asked him: 

“What kind of feeling are you hoping this flag evokes?”

His answer:

“When astronauts view Earth from space, something profound happens.
They describe a sudden shift in perspective — a life-altering realization that borders are imaginary, and that all life is fragile, connected, and shared.
It’s called the Overview Effect.”

The Earth Flag brings that cosmic perspective down to Earth.

As Oskar said on stage:

“Behind this flag, there is no religion. No ideology.
Just a visual representation of Earth.
But in that simplicity… it holds everything.”

How a symbol becomes real

Oskar shared the story of another iconic flag: the rainbow Pride Flag.

First flown in 1978, it became a global symbol not because a government declared it official, but because people adopted it.

They wore it.
Tattooed it.
Flew it.
Marched with it.
Until it became more than an image—it became a shared identity.

The Earth Flag is on the same path.

It’s already been:

• Flown on refugee boats
• Planted on Antarctica and Everest
• Raised in climate marches around the world
• Tattooed on the bodies of people who just knew it mattered
• And officially recognized by the town of Ridgway, Colorado, where it now flies permanently beside the U.S. flag
  

And starting now, Mindvalley will fly the Earth Flag at all our global events, as a declaration of the unity we stand for.

What you can do

Oskar said it best:

“If you believe Earth should have a flag—just fly it.”

You don’t need permission.
You don’t need an institution.
You just need to care.

Fly it at events.
Hang it in your home.
Wear it on Earth Day.
Print it on your wall.
Or let it quietly live in your heart.

Because every time this flag is seen, flown, or shared…
It becomes a reminder:

You’re not just from a country.
You’re from Earth.

Get your own flag at FlagofPlanetEarth.com.

Final words

This is not a time for more division.
It’s a time for symbols that unite.

The Earth Flag doesn’t ask for loyalty.
It invites belonging.

It doesn’t cancel your identity.
It expands it.

So let it fly.
Not because you’re being political…
But because you’re being human.

Because borders are imaginary.
But Earth?

She’s beautifully, urgently real.

And she needs you.

You’re Invited: Join the Mindvalley Experience on August 9

Want to go deeper into powerful ideas like the one above?

Join us for Mindvalley X, a free 6-hour global broadcast on August 9—live from Amsterdam. We decided to invite many of our leading authors to deliver 20-minute style TED talks from the stage, free to the world, this Saturday. Tune in live on Zoom. 

You’ll get:

• Live teachings from myself, Paul McKenna, Marie Diamond, Nir Eyal, Regan Hillyer, Eric Edmeades and more,
• Activations in AI, longevity, entrepreneurship, energy, and purpose,
• Tools and practices you can apply instantly, and
• A space to embody the frequency of what’s next.

Reserve your free seat at mindvalley.com/x.

This is your initiation into co-creating the next human narrative.