The New Zealand Flag Institute was established in 2005 amidst a campaign by the NZ Flag.com Trust for a referendum to change the New Zealand flag.
The campaign to bring about a citizens-initiated referendum on the subject subsequently failed.
The organisation was founded by Aucklander John Cox (1965-2017), a New Zealand vexillolographer and lawyer.
A country that abandons its old symbols for no better reason than to follow changing fashions has lost its heart and neglected its heritage.The Institute's primary aim is to educate New Zealanders about the history and symbolism of the New Zealand Flag.
The Institute also aims to encourage people to understand and appreciate what the flag stands for.