Blue ribbon

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This article is about the symbol. For other uses, see Blue ribbon (disambiguation).

In symbolism, blue ribbon is a term used to describe something of high quality. The usage came from The Blue Riband, a prize awarded for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by passenger liners.

The spelling blue riband is still encountered in most English-speaking countries, but in the United States, the term was altered to blue ribbon, and ribbons of this color came to be awarded for first place in certain athletic or other competitive endeavours (such as county and state fairs). It also may be applied to distinguished members of a group or commission who have convened to address a situation or problem; the usual usage is "blue ribbon commission" or "blue ribbon panel."

The French for the term is 'Cordon Bleu' which is also used in English-speaking countries.

1 Fair competitions
2 Other uses
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Fair competitions

In some fair competitions in the U.S., particularly 4-H and FFA livestock and horticultural events, blue ribbons may be awarded to any project or exhibit which meets or exceeds all of a competition's judging criteria. In Canada blue ribbons are awarded to second place, with red ribbons awarded to first.

The project may not necessarily be the first place finisher, however. In such cases, a purple ribbon may given to the champion and second-place (or reserve) champion.

[edit] Other uses

The Blue Ribbon Campaign originated in the Spring of 1989 when Bonnie Finney of Virginia tied a blue ribbon to her car antenna, as tribute to her three year old grandson, Michael Bubba Dickinson, who died at the hands of his abusive father. The blue color of the ribbon symbolizes the color of bruises.

In 2004, the use of blue ribbons began for Leukodystrophy awareness in the U.S. and abroad.

In Victoria, Australia, the blue ribbon is the symbol of remembrance for police officers killed in the line of duty [1].

In Canada, it is the symbol of an anti-tobacco, anti-second hand smoke campaign. Also it has same meaning in Japan. Students of the Hugh Boyd Secondary School in Richmond, British Columbia started the "Blue Ribbon Campaign" in 1999. Each year it has grown and now has taken on a national scope [2].

The "Blue Ribbon Online Free Speech Campaign" is an online campaign by the EFF endorsing the protection of free speech on the Internet.

In Spain, a blue ribbon has been used by those opposing the terrorism of ETA.

In Ukraine, a blue ribbon represents solidarity with Viktor Yanukovych's opposition, support for the "Party of Regions" (Ukrainian: Партія регіонів) and protest against the seizure of power by Viktor Yushchenko during the Orange Revolution in December of 2004.

The blue ribbon is used in the Cedar Revolution in Lebanon in 2005, the movement to end perceived Syrian hegemony over Lebanese politics.

In Israel, blue ribbons indicate support for the Israel unilateral disengagement plan of 2004, as opposed to orange ribbons, which indicate opposition. It is intended to invoke the flag of Israel.

Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer, which got its name from originally having a blue ribbon tied around the neck of the bottle (between 1882 and 1916).

In Zimbabwe, the term "blue ribbon" is in reference to "blue ribbon mills", the largest wheat refiner in the country.

In Japan, a blue ribbon is a symbol against abduction by North Korea (DPRK, Kim's government). It symbolizes the Sea of Japan, between Japan and Korea.

Beginning in the 1940s, Warner Bros., in a cost-conserving effort, began to reissue its backlog of color cartoons under a new program which they called Merrie Melodies "Blue Ribbon" reissues. For the reissue, the original front-and-end title sequences were altered.