Darjeeling Himalayan Railway on new UN stamps

 

2021 WORLD HERITAGE – Bridges, Waterways, & Railways

Date of issue: 25 August 2021

The Designs:
– US$ 0.55 Rideau Canal (Canada)
– US$ 1.20 The Grand Canal (China)
– CHF 1,00 Rhaetian Railway in the Albula/Bernina Landscapes (Switzerland/Italy)
– CHF 1,50 Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, India
– € 1,00 Fort Bridge, Scotland
– € 1,80 Old Bridge Area of the Old City of Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

- Kasinath R. 

New stamps on 75 Years of United Nations

 

75 Years of United Nations

Date of Issue : 24 October 2020

The United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA)  commemorated the seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations with the issuance of three stamp mini-sheets on 24 October. At least twenty other postal administrations of United Nations Member States  joined the UNPA in issuing stamps to commemorate this milestone.

The stamp sheets include the following quote from Secretary-General António Guterres:

"The vision and values of the Charter of the United Nations, which was adopted 75 years ago, stand the test of time. The United Nations works as one for the benefit of all – for peace, sustainable development, justice and human rights."

The mini-sheets of two stamps in the denominations of $1.20, CHF 2,00 and €1,80 were designed by Matt Willey of the design firm Pentagram. A souvenir card with a statement by the Secretary-General and Nelson Mandela was also  issued.

Date of Issue : 23 October 2020

Date of Issue : 24 October 2020

Date of Issue : 15 September 2020

FDC : Date of Issue : 24 October 2020

Date of Issue : 16 March 2020

40th Anniversary of Eradication of Smallpox

Date of issue : 8 May 2020

The UNPA issued a commemorative stamp on  8th May 2020 to commemorate 40th Anniversary of Eradication of Smallpox.

The World Health Organization commemorated the 40th anniversary of smallpox eradication in December 2019, recognizing the historic moment on 9 December 1979 when the end of smallpox was confirmed to have been eradicated. Five months later, in May 1980, the 33rd World Health Assembly issued its official declaration that ‘the world and all its peoples have won freedom from smallpox’.

A plaque marking the end of a scourge that had afflicted millions for thousands of years was unveiled at WHO headquarters in Geneva in the very same meeting room where, four decades earlier, the 19 members of the Global Commission for the Certification of Smallpox Eradication certified that smallpox had been eradicated from the world.

Until it was wiped out, smallpox had plagued humanity for at least 3000 years, killing 300 million people in the 20th century alone. The last known endemic case of smallpox was reported and the outbreak promptly contained in Somalia in 1977.

The successful smallpox eradication programme yielded vital knowledge and tools for the field of disease surveillance, the benefits of ring vaccination and the importance of health promotion in fighting diseases such as poliomyelitis and the Ebola virus. It also laid the foundation for stronger national immunization programmes worldwide, underpinning the establishment of primary health care in many countries and creating momentum toward Universal Health Coverage.

Earth Day 2020

22 April - Earth Day

One Earth, One Family: Earth Day 50th anniversary celebrations

Date of Issue : 14 February 2020

Earth Day originated in 1970 as a way to underscore the need for conservation of the Earth’s natural resources and is celebrated by the United Nations on 22 April each year. In 2020, on the occasion of its 50th anniversary and coinciding with the fifth anniversary of the encyclical Laudato si’, the Vatican marks for the first time what is the largest environmental event on the planet. 

The philatelic minisheet of two values ​​issued for the occasion (0.30 and 1.10 euros), designed by the artist Joyce Chiarella, aims to seek and simultaneously represent everywhere the beauty and harmony of creation: in the forms, in the sounds and colours of nature, but also in the face of a child with its innocent gaze admiring the surroundings. In the upper left sun shines on the coat of arms of Pope Francis, while the moon, on the right, reflects the title of the issue. This celebration aims to remind us that creation is a gift we have received from God and, for this reason, as the Holy Father teaches in Laudato si’, we have a mission to care for it and to protect it.

Source : UFN

Environmental art on 2020 UN Earth Day Stamps

Date of Issue : 22 April 2020

Earth Day has been observed on 22 April each year in many countries since 1970. The United Nations General Assembly designated 22 April as International Mother Earth Day in 2009.

Earth Day, also known as International Mother Earth Day, is celebrated to remind each of us that the Earth and its ecosystems provide us with life and sustenance.

Earth Day also recognizes a collective responsibility to promote harmony with nature and the Earth to achieve a just balance among the economic, social and environmental needs of present and future generations of humanity.

The Designs

For this stamp issue, UNPA has selected six artists whose works are influenced by environmental issues. Each sheet contains an artist’s statement describing how the planet and sustainability has inspired their work.

Designer: Rorie Katz (United Nations)

Artists:

– US$ 0.55 – Zaria Forman (USA)

– US$ 1.20 – Courtney Mattison (USA)

– CHF 1,00 – Mathilde Roussel (France)

– CHF 2,00 – Benjamin Von Wong (Canada)

– € 0,85 – Paul Villinski (USA)

– € 1,35 – Nicole Dextras (Canada)

Source : UN Stamps

Earth Day stamp from USPS

Date of Issue : 18 April 2020

The United States Postal Service  issued a forever stamp on April 18 to mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.

Special  Digital cancellation

The U.S. Postal Service honors the 50th anniversary of Earth Day by putting its own stamp on raising awareness of our environment and the communities in which we live and serve. The new Earth Day Forever stamp marks five decades of Americans coming together to celebrate the importance of protecting the environment. The stamp was issued onon April 18,2020.

The Postal Service had canceled the first-day-of-issue ceremony for the Earth Day stamp due to social distancing guidance. 

Earth Day 2020 Stamps

Date of Issue : 18 April 2020

Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the US Postal Service will  issue a stamp featuring a playful painting of the planet, with small green lines surrounding Earth and hand-lettered text. 

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated around the world on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First celebrated in 1970, it now includes events coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network in more than 193 countries.

2020 The 50th Anniversary of Earth Day

Date of issue : 14 February 2020

The Postal administration of Vatican City issued  a miniature sheet on 14th February 2020 to commemorate 50th Anniversary of World Earth Day ( 22 April).

The UNPA will also issue 6 mini sheets of 10 stamps on 22 April 2020 commemorating World Earth Day.

World Food Day 2017 stamps from UNPA

16 October - World Food Day

Date of Issue : 16 October 2017

UNPA issued a set of 6 stamps on 16th October 2017 to commemorate World Food Day.

World Food Day is celebrated every year around the world on 16 October in honor of the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1945. The day is celebrated widely by many other organisations concerned with food security, including the World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

World Heritage sites from Czech Republic

Date of Issue : 8 September 2016

Here is a beautiful set issued by UNPA featuring world heritage sites of Czech Republic.These stamps are part of a joint stamp issuance with the Czech Post.This issue also includes a beautiful stamp booklet.

Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.

47¢ – Historic Centre of Prague

Prague is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe in terms of its setting on both banks of the Vltava River, adorned with its distinctive townscape of houses, palaces with towers, and buildings. Built between the 11th and 18th centuries, the Old Town, the Lesser Town and the New Town speak of the great architectural and cultural influence enjoyed by this city since the Middle Ages. The site was inscribed on the World Heritage list in 1992.

$1.15 – Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc

The Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc is one of the most exceptional examples of the pinnacle of central European Baroque artistic expression. This memorial column, erected in the early years of the 18th century, is the most outstanding example of a type of monument specific to central Europe. Rising to a height of 35 metres, it is decorated with many fine religious sculptures, which are the work of the distinguished Moravian artist Ondřej Zahner. It was inscribed on the World Heritage list in 2000.

Stamp Booklet

Indian theme on foreign stamps..

On 29 April 2016, International Dance Day is celebrated all over the world, as dancers rejoice and share their passions and creativity with millions of people. The day brings together international, national and local organizations, as well as selected individuals active in dance, both amateurs and professionals.

In 1982, the International Theatre Institute (ITI), a partner of UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) founded International Dance Day to be celebrated every year on 29 April on the anniversary of the birth date of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810), the creator of modern ballet. The purpose of the International Dance Day is to celebrate Dance, to rejoice in the universality of the art form, to cross all political, cultural and ethnic barriers and to bring people together with a common language—Dance. The International Dance Council (CID), another partner of UNESCO, also supports and promotes the art of dance worldwide.

On this occasion,UN posts issued 6 s/s of which one shown on the the top is on RAMAYANA.

Courtesy - Leeza Padhi, Cuttack

New stamps from India

Date of Issue : 8 March 2016

India Post issued two stamps and a miniature sheet on 8th March 2016 jointly with UNPA to commemorate  Int. Woman's Day. The theme of this stamp issue    is UN Women Solidarity Movement for Gender Equality.

Image Courtesy : Stamps of India

UNPA Issue

UN Women – HeForShe

Gender inequality is one of the most persistent human rights violations of our time. Despite many years of promoting gender equality, inequalities among women/girls and men/boys continue to manifest in egregious ways around the world.

HeForShe is a solidarity movement for gender equality developed by UN Women (the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women). Its goal is to engage men and boys as advocates and agents of change for the achievement of gender equality and women’s rights. The campaign encourages them to speak out and take action against inequalities faced by women and girls.

Gender equality is not only a women’s issue, it is a human rights issue that affects all of us – women and girls, men and boys. We all benefit socially, politically and economically from gender equality in our everyday lives. When women are empowered, the whole of humanity benefits. Gender equality liberates not only women but also men, from prescribed social roles and gender stereotypes.

The overall goal of the campaign is to spread awareness and spark action on the responsibility that men and boys have in eliminating all forms of discrimination against women and violence against women and girls. 

70th anniversary of the end of World War II and the founding of the United Nations

 

 

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and the founding of the United Nations (1945-2015). The largest conflict in human history embroiled most nations around the world and caused destruction and massacres which led to over sixty million victims. The memory of these events must not only be kept alive, but continually renewed, as a commemoration and a warning to future generations.

At the same time, it is not enough only to remember these tragic events to prevent them from happening again; nations must play an active role in working for peace. From the rubble of the Second World War came forth the creation of the United Nations in 1945, the organization with the responsibility precisely “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war…and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small… “.

Vatican Post marked these two anniversaries with the issue of a miniature sheet consisting of two postage stamps of 2.00 euro each. The stamps were released  on the 19^th of May.

The stamps feature work by artist Marco Ventura who on the first value depicts an injured hand against a dark background to symbolize the defeat of humanity in the face of the horrors of war. The second stamp shows three hands symbolically holding up the world, the UN headquarters in New York, and an olive branch against a fair sky, all representing the possibility of building together a future of peace.

The contrast between the two opposing realities is accented further with the barbed wire which appears in the stamps on the left side of the sheet, while exiting on the right side transformed into the colors of a rainbow, a universal symbol of peace.

Club News

Book Review

‘Meghdoot Postcards Guide’ (2002-2014) By P.D. Heda

 

Post Independence Postal Stationery of India, Part 1 ‘Meghdoot Postcards Guide’ (2002-2014) By P.D. Heda : Hardbound Pages 130: Price Rs. 650 (US $30/-), ( Postage extra) Published by P.D. Heda.

‘Meghdoot Postcards Guide’ (2002-2014), Post Independence Postal Stationery of India, Part 1 by Shri Purushottam Das Heda, philatelist from Hyderabad, features complete listing of Meghdoot Postcards issued from 2002 to 2014. The book gives comprehensive list of 948 Meghdoot Postcards with details of design, release dates and printing quantities.The book consists of 130 pages printed on art paper with multi-color illustrations . The layout and dersign of the book is fine. It is an excellent reference book for thematic Stamp collectors as Meghdoot cards have been issued on various subjects, covering tourism, conservation of water, energy ,environment, wildlife etc. campaigns on various social issues like cleanliness, health. education etc.

This book would be very much helpful to postal stationery collectors and especially those who are interested in Meghdoot Postcards. However the book is informative and a good reference book for all philatelists. For the book, Author Shri Purushottam Das Heda can be contacted via email pdheda@hotmail.com or on mobile no. +919848089049.

About the author –

Shri Purushottam Das Heda is an engineer by profession. He started his journey in the field of philately in 1962 at the age of 17. His area of interest is in “ Post Independence Postal Stamps and Stationery.’ In postal stamps, his interest is emphasized on printer's registration imprints on sheet margins, commonly known as ‘Traffic Lights’.

New Special Cover

Chatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj – 14th May 2015

A special cover was released by Shri D. B. Shirke, Sr. Superintendent of Post Office, Pune City West Division on the occasion of 358th birth anniversary of great Maratha warrior Chatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj at Pune on 14th May 2015 at the function organized by Mavala Javan Sanghatna, Pune (Special cover approval no. MH/19/2015).

Sambhaji Bhosale (14 May 1657 – 11 March 1689) was the eldest son of Chhatrapati Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire, and his first wife Saibai. He was successor of the realm after his father's death. Sambhaji's rule was largely shaped by the ongoing wars between the Maratha kingdom and the Mughal Empire, as well as other neighbouring powers such as the Siddis, Mysore and the Portuguese in Goa. Sambhaji was captured, tortured, and executed by the Mughals, and succeeded by his brother Rajaram.

Special Cover on Dr. Jack De Sequeira, first opposition leader of Goa, Daman and Diu Legislative Assembly – 30th May 2015

Chief Minister of Goa Laxmikant Parsekar and Postmaster General of Goa Region Shri Charles Lobo released a special cover on Dr. Jack De Sequeira, first opposition leader of Goa, Daman and Diu Legislative Assembly on 30th May, 2015 at Seminar Hall, Goa Legislative Assembly Complex in Porvorim (Special Cover approval no. MH/21/2015).

Courtesy - Indian Philately Digest

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

 

 

17 October - The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is celebrated every year on October 17 throughout the world. It was officially recognised by the United Nations, but the first commemoration of the event took place in Paris, France, in 1987 when 100,000 people gathered on the Human Rights and Liberties Plaza at the Trocadéro to honour victims of poverty,hunger, violence and fear. This call was made by Joseph Wresinski (1917–1988) founder of the International Movement ATD Fourth World.

The United Nations’ (UN) International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is observed on October 17 each year since 1993. It promotes people’s awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution worldwide, particularly in developing countries.

Eradicate Poverty

The above  stamp depicting a child walking in both bountiful and barren landscapes, issued by Slovakia on April 15, 1996 to publicize "Eradicate Poverty Year,".

 

End Poverty and Stop Child Labour !!