Romanian gendarmes marked National Flag Day by carrying the country’s tricolor to the summit of Șandru Peak in the Nemira Mountains, continuing an annual tradition that combines physical endurance with a symbolic tribute to national identity.
The ascent began at 9 a.m. on June 26, when members of the Mountain Gendarmerie Unit in Slănic Moldova, part of the Bacău County Gendarmerie Inspectorate, set off toward the 1,640-meter (5,380-foot) summit carrying Romania’s national flag in their backpacks.
After a three-hour climb through forest trails and steep mountain terrain, the officers unfurled the blue, yellow and red flag at the peak, where it flew above the mountain ridges in a ceremony held without public fanfare.
The annual climb has become a tradition for the mountain gendarmes, who view the event as a tribute to the country’s national symbols and to the oath they have taken to serve and protect Romania.
„National Flag Day is a moment of profound gratitude and patriotic pride,” said Col. Eusebiu Bârnat, chief inspector of the Bacău County Gendarmerie Inspectorate.
„Raising the tricolor on Șandru Peak is more than an annual mission. It symbolizes our unwavering duty to our country. At that altitude, beneath the open sky, the colors of the flag remind us of the sacrifices of those who came before us and renew our commitment to remain in service, protect our citizens and honor the national values that unite us.”
Șandru Peak is one of the most popular hiking destinations in the Nemira Mountains, attracting visitors with panoramic views over eastern Romania. For the mountain gendarmes, however, the summit holds an additional meaning each year on June 26, becoming the place where Romania’s flag is raised closer to the sky.
While modest in scale, the tradition reflects a quiet form of patriotism—one expressed not through ceremonies or speeches, but through a demanding climb undertaken to honor a symbol shared by all Romanians. At the end of the ascent, the national flag remained flying above the mountain, overlooking the valleys below as summer settled across the Nemira range.
