There are flags for everything, it seems—but not for languages.

The National Museum of Language (NML), a small museum that explores the transformative powers of language, opened to the public this May after more than ten years in the making. A trailblazer in the field - there are only a few museums in the world with a similar focus - the Museum examines the history, impact and art of language.

As a trailblazer in the field, it is only fitting that NML take on the task of creating what it believes is the world’s first language flag, the International Flag of Language (IFL). NML is sponsoring a contest to design the IFL. This contest and the flag itself will be NML's contribution to commemorate UNESCO's International Year of Languages. Experts from language and vexillology have been selected to administer the contest and to select the winning entry.

The contest itself will run from September 2 through November 28 and the winning entry will be announced before the end of the International Year of Languages in February, 2009.