Swiss Definitive

A pretty definitive stamp of the ‘90s issued by Switzerland depicting a house cat and her kittens. It just goes to show the importance of pets in the home of the Swiss. Thank you Maria.

Historical Monuments

The First Day Cover on display has six stamps depicting famous monuments across Switzerland. Starting from the top left stamp, I’ll try and briefly describe the location and importance of the monument depicted. The FDC was issued on 12.8.1968, and was given to me by Maria.

Lenzburg is a town in the central region of the Swiss canton Aargau and is the capital of the district of the same name. The town, founded in the Middle Ages, lies in the Seetal valley, about 3 kilometres south of the Aare river. Lenzburg Castle is a castle located above the old part of the town of Lenzburg in the Canton of Aargau, Switzerland. It ranks among the oldest and most important of Switzerland.

Näfels is a former municipality in the canton of Glarus in Switzerland. Effective from 1 January 2011, Näfels is part of the municipality of Glarus Nord. The Franciscan Cloister of Mariaburg sits atop Burgstock hill in the heart of Näfels. The cloister is open to anyone interested in the life of the Franciscan order and for individuals (men and women) and Christians, who wish to temporarily retire from daily hustle and bustle to lead a life of contemplation. Guests may have a brother as a guide during short stays of up to one week. They participate in the daily life of the cloister and possibly add some spiritual exercises. 

Appenzell (or Appenzellerland) is a region and historical canton in the northeast of Switzerland, entirely surrounded by the Canton of St. Gallen. St. Mauritius is the name of the biggest church of Appenzell and its origins are dating back to the year 1071. There is an interesting path around the church 

Samedan is a town and municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. Romanesque library is one of the highlights of Samedan.

Gais is a municipality in the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden in Switzerland. The old village, lined with traditional wooden houses with curved gables, was rebuilt following a fire in 1780 and has remained mostly unchanged since then. The houses along the town square and on Webergasse are the center of the old village.

The Protestant Church was built in 1781–82 by Hans Ulrich Haltiner. The interior is decorated in a Rococo style. The interior work was done in 1782, from the shop of Andreas and Peter Anton Mosbrugger.

Neuchâtel "new" + chatel "castle" is the capital of the Swiss canton of Neuchâtel on Lake Neuchâtel. The Collegiate Church, dedicated to the Virgin, is a striking piece of architechture. It is made of hauterive stone, which has a yellow colour, typical for the city of Neuchatel.  

Nostalgic Architecture 23.8.2012

This nice FDC dated 23.8.2012 depicting Nostalgic architecture on each of the three stamps on the cover was sent to me by my friend Ella.

This booklet represents high level nostalgia. The three stamps feature memorable and beloved buildings all to be found in Mariehamn in past times. Former town architect Folke Wickstrom has drawn the motifs.

1. The first stamp shows the Badhotellet (spa hotel). Launched as a spa resort at the end of the 1800s, Mariehamn was to become one of the most modern resorts in Europe. At the turn of the 20th century, the establishment was at its largest with facilities for hot baths and swimming, a restaurant with assembly room, a medical centre, a gymnasium, a doctor's house and a spa hotel. The end of the 1914 season also saw the end of the spa era as World War I broke out. The hotel burnt down to the ground in February 1916, probably due to an overheated heater.

2. Originally, Societetshuset (a club house generally known as Socis) was a school building that was dismantled and moved to Mariehamn in 1870. From the start, the building served as a hotel, town hall and restaurant. During Socis' more than 100 years of existence it had several periods of golden days and many different owners. Regardless of many protests, the demolition of Socis was carried through in June 1975, the then town architect and current stamp artist Folke Wickstrom being one of the protesters.

3. Miramar was erected in 1890 as a summer house for Nicolai Nystrom, son-in-law of Nicolai Sittkoff, a well-known tradesman in Aland. Commandeered by soldiers during both World Wars, first by the Russians and later by the Finns, Miramar was turned into a soldiers' gambling home. In the 1930s, the house served as a dance palace and meeting place and was later to become a restaurant. Inspections performed by the authorities found inadequate fire security as well as spa and sanitary defects, and the house was demolished in October 1973.

Relics of Ancient Cyprus 3.10.1983

Merja gave me these four FDCs which display a total of 12 stamps, each depicting a relic, way back from the 6^thMillenium BC up to a few centuries ago. An interesting aspect of these stamp is that the year printed on them is 1980, but, they were actually released on 3^rdOctober 1983, as shown by the postmark on the Covers.

Each of these stamps has two values printed on them. The old value has been struck off. In 1960, when Cyprus was declared independent and the Republic of Cyprus was established, the Cyprus pound became the country’s monetary unit. Initially, the pound was divided into 1.000 mils. In 1983 a new denomination, the cent, was introduced to replace the mil. The numismatic system remained the same as the Cyprus pound continued to be the Republic’s currency, the only difference being its denomination into 100 cent, instead of 1.000 mils. This may perhaps be the reason for the delay in the issue of these stamps.

Pro Juventute 1965

Pro Juventute is a charitable foundation in Switzerland established in 1912. It is dedicated to supporting the rights and needs of Swiss children and youth.

Switzerland has issued Pro Juventute semipostals nearly every year since 1913. Like the majority of subsequent Swiss semipostal stamps, the nonpostal funds from this Pro Juventute 5-centime Helvetia stamp went to youth charities.

The stamps on this 1965 FDC from Switzerland issued on 1.12.1965 are part of a set of 5 stamps featuring different. Thank you Maria for this nice FDC.

Malaysian Unity Series II

Malaysia is a country of multi-racial society, with various cultural and religious backgrounds, and therefore, unity is the foundation that can ensure harmony and peace in the country.In accordance with the 1Malaysia concept which emphasises on national harmony, the people are advised to uphold unity and enhance integration with each other to achieve the harmonious State."1Malaysia's goal is to maintain and enhance unity in diversity which has always been our strength and remains our best hope for the future."- The Honourable Dato' Sri Mohd Najib Tun Razak,The Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Budin sent me this FDC postmarked 30.8.2012.

1992 Summer & Winter Olympics 4.2.1992

The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same year since 1924, and place them in alternating even-numbered years, beginning in 1994. The 1992 Summer Games were the last to be staged in the same year as the Winter Games. Due to the end of the Cold War, these games were the first without boycotts since 1972. The 1992 Winter Games were held at Albertville in France.

Impact of the 1992 Summer Olympic Games on Barcelona. Although the games were heralded as a huge success by virtually all who watched, attended and competed, the real success, at least as far as the city of Barcelona and her residents were concerned, was the long-lasting positive impact the Olympics had on the city. From the status of relatively provincial port city (think along the lines of Naples), Barcelona was catapulted into cosmopolitan resort on the Mediterranean and by the end of the 90s had become one of Europe's most visited cities, behind London, Paris and Rome.

The stamps on the cover and the cover itself were issued by Finland on 4.2.1992 to commemorate these Games. And the FDC was sent to me by friend Pia.

Importance in Cypriot Life 27.9.1976

Merja, Thank you very much for this Combo First Day Cover. I call it Combo because it highlights not one but three important areas of Cypriot life. Issued on 27.9.1976, the three stamps on the cover are giving importance to (left to right) : Promotion of children's books; that, Foresight prevents blindness and importance of having a neat, tidy and a clean Habitat.

Alluring and surreal fall dreamscapes 3.9.2012

Miika Saksi's Fall Dream stamp booklet takes the viewer to surreal dreamscapes. The five stamps in the booklet include fall colors and several fall-related themes such as migratory birds, a scarecrow and a hot air balloon. Harvest is illustrated in a stamp where a girl is feeding carrots to a horse. The lanterns on the fifth stamp light up the darkening fall evenings. This colourful and nice First Day Cover postmarked on 3.9.2012 (along with the stamps and FDC in my posts on the 16th and 19th of September 2012) was given to me by my friend Ella.

Stamps designed by children in 4.11.1983

Issued on 4th November 1983 as Christmas stamps, the first Finnish stamps designed by children were the fruit of a drawing competition held for children under eight years of age, with the theme of 'What does the Finnish Christmas bring to mind?'

From among the 6,000 drawings that took part, the jury selected six-year old Eija Myllyviita's work 'Santa in the blue of the winter night' and three-year old Camilla Lindberg's 'Christmas Candles'. Hanne Kokkila's work, ranked third, became the pictorial motif for a first-day cover. Thank you Pia for this lovely cover.

Planned Reconstruction of the Economy of Cyprus 3.5.1976

Cypriots have experienced a substantial  improvement in their living standards since World War II. Cyprus benefited from the war, and in succeeding decades its economy grew at rates that matched those of other countries that profited from the general West European boom that began in the 1950s and lasted up to the first oil price increase of 1973. Cypriot per capita income increased steadily through this period; the economy diversified and ceased to be that of a Third World colony. This success was achieved despite widespread turmoil stemming from shaking off British rule in the 1950s and intercommunal warfare during the 1960s.
Cyprus was affected in 1973 and 1979 by the first and second oil price increases, for it was almost completely lacking in domestic sources of energy. However, energy-related economic disruption was negligible compared with the effects of the Turkish invasion of 1974, which ended in the de facto partition of the Republic of Cyprus. The island's economy disintegrated as a third of its inhabitants fled their homes and livelihoods and many farming, manufacturing, and commercial relationships were shattered. Thereafter, the island's Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities lived separated from one another. Each sought to recreate a functioning economy.
Greeks Cypriots were the more successful. Republic of Cyprus planners adopted an aggressive program of constructive deficit spending, economic incentives, and targeted investments that led the Greek Cypriot economy to reach pre-1974 levels within a few years. This was an astonishing accomplishment in that the island's partition had cost the republic much of its agricultural and manufacturing assets. 
The four stamps on the card depict just this aspect of Cyprus' efforts at bettering the economy - local craftsmanship and handicrafts, construction, agriculture and aviation for tourism. Thank you Merja for this nice FDC.

Cute little animals to warm One's heart! 3.9.2012

Pets is a stamp booklet by Satu Lusa whose six stamps feature small, lovable animals. The animals include a European cat, a large eared rabbit, a small rabbit, a dachshund, a Jack Russel terrier, and a British short haired cat.

The photo of the kitten with a tortoise pattern was taken by Spanish nature photographer Rafa Irusta. The rest of the photos were taken by Eric Isselée, a Belgian photographer specializing in animal photography.

The pet photos, taken against a white background, focus on the essential: the animals' expressions, natural posture and soft fur.

These stamps and the cover were also issued by Finland Post on 3.9.2012. Thank you Ella for this delightful FDC.

Liechtenstein Regiment

These stamps on the FDC remind one of the final days of the Tiechtenstein Regiment. The Uniforms shown are those of the officers and soldiers used for the last time in 1866, as clearly mentioned on the cover. During the Middle Ages and Renaissance Liechtenstein often saw combat. The castle at the heart of the country was twice ruined in sieges by the Turks in 1529 and 1683. The tiny nation (principality) of Liechtenstein, currently ruled by Prince Hans-Adam II, gained its independence in 1806. It is a landlocked mountain country bordered on the west by Switzerland and the east by Austria. Occupied by French then Russian then French again then finally by German troops during the Napoleonic wars, Liechtenstein has been free since 1813. It sent a 40 man detachment along with the forces opposing Napoleon and it returned a year later with 41 men. When revolution broke out in 1848 in the old German state of Baden the Liechtensteiner army took the field and helped restore order there. In 1866 the country again sent its troops off to war against Prussia. Its entire army was sent to guard Stilfser Joch (Passo Stelvio) against an enemy trust that never came. Accused of being a cause for war between Austria and Prussia in 1866, an uneasy but bloodless state of war existed between the Principality and Prussia (later Germany) for nearly sixty years before being settled by a diplomatic note. In 1868, after joining in a trade union with the Austro-Hungarian Empire who assumed responsibility for its defense, Liechtenstein disbanded its colorful peacetime army of 80 men out of financial considerations and declared its permanent neutrality. The army stacked its retired weapons at its garrison of the Vaduz Castle and many of them remain in the collection there to this day. Merja gave me this nice FDC.

 

75 Years of the Liechtenstein Museum of Fine Arts

This FDC postmarked at Vaduz on  11 March 1976 was issued to mark the 75th Anniversary of The Liechtenstein Museum of Fine Arts which originated in the Liechtenstein State Art Collection, which was founded in 1968. The collections of the museum focus on all forms of art since 1900 on the basis of a thematically oriented collection policy. Its particular emphasis is in the area of sculpture/object/installation.

As a foundation under public law, the Museum of Fine Arts is entirely funded by the State of Liechtenstein. Since the summer of 2000, it has been located in a new building in Vaduz , 85% of which was funded by private donors and presented to the country as a gift for the millennium.

The Museum of Fine Arts presents rotating exhibits of art since 1900 in close connection with the thematic structure of its collections. It practices a new style of presentation of its collections according to the principle of "dialogue", which is presented in a new way for each exhibition. In addition, exhibits from the collections of the Reigning Prince of Liechtenstein are presented continuously. Thank you Merja for this fine FDC.

The good old '90s 3.9.2012

Ella sent me this wonderful FDC. The series of stamps depicting Finnish music has entered the 1990s. Klaus Welp has designed a  six-stamp Stars of the '90s booklet with designated stamps for the following popular artists: Kaija Koo, Jari Sillanpää, Laura Voutilainen, Anna Eriksson and two bands: Agents and Yölintu.

The artists and bands in the stamps have been selected by the Finnish jack-of-all-trades in music Esa Nieminen and Itella. An essential criterion for choosing these artists was popularity that has continued from the 90s to the present day.

The stamp themes are based on album covers that the artists and bands released in the '90s.  

700 Years of Viborg Castle 6.5.1993

Viborg Castle was one of the three major castles of Finland. It was built as the easternmost outpost of the medieval Kingdom of Sweden: it is located on the Karelian isthmus, on a little islet in the innermost corner of the Gulf of Finland, in a tight strait which connects Suomenvedenpohja to Bay of Viipuri. It was originally constructed in the 1290s.

The town was originally located inside the outer fortifications of the castle, at the fortress island, but it had to be moved to its present location out of the island because of lack of space.

The Vyborg Castle is situated on a small island in the Castle Strait which was once the emptying of the Vuoksa River that connected the Gulf of Finland with Ladoga Lake.

The main building of the Castle is the St.Olaf Tower. Its brick walls with cannon loopholes make up an octahedron - this shape was considered the best to withstand bombardment. The shield baring three crowns (as in the coat of arms of the Swedish kingdom) was attached above the Tower portal by the appointment of King Eric XIV. The Tower being 48.6 m high is one of the tallest ones in Scandinavia. It is easy to see the space of 30 km from the observation deck of the Tower.

The so called "Tyuremnaya (Prison) Tower" of the Vyborg Castle is an example of the architecture of the Renaissance period known as "Vasa Renaissance" in Sweden. It prevailed in 1550-1650 when a lot of Italian and German masters were invited to work there.

The exhibit "From the History of the Vyborg Castle" brings the moments of the past. Bricks of the 15th century making the Raiskaya (Paradise) Tower before it was dismantled in the reconstruction of 1891-1894 are on display. The chambers adjacent to the Raiskaya (Paradise) Tower were the home for balls and magnificent celebrations arranged by Swedish King Karl Knutsson Bonde in the 15th century that was the peak period in medieval Vyborg flourishing. Dice with raw stock from a bone-carving shop of the 14th century and bone combs of the 14th-15th centuries that remained since then can be seen at the exhibit.

It is not only the history of the Castle itself that can be explored in the museum. The "Swedish Vyborg" exhibit displays cannon-balls, flints, case-shot and bullets adopted by the Swedish army of the 16th century. Another unique object - part of a sword baring inscriptions "GICELIN" on one side of the blade and "IN NOMINE DOMINI" on the other one - is presented here. The sword was made in the Middle Rhine area of Germany in the 12th century. It was found on the Kuznechny (Smithy) Yard during the 1984 year excavations of "the Karelian layer" of the 12th-13th centuries. The sword might be used by the Swedes in their attack on the fortified settlement of the Karelians in 1293. The war topic is continued by the exhibit "Our Land During Great Patriotic War". A separate section is devoted to Winter War of 1939-1940.

Merja sent me this FDC which was issued By Finland to commemorate the 700 Years of this famous Castle, which is now a popular tourist site in Russia.

Peaceful Uses of Outer Space

 What is Peaceful use of Outer Space?

"Peaceful Use of outer Space" leads the way for the people of the world to see how peaceful co-existence can be achieved. Outer Space has also become a focus as one of the United Nation's five global commons, which belong equally to all mankind.

Space. Outer space is simply the space beyond the atmosphere of the Earth. Most of outer space is emptiness, but there are areas where matter and energy have gathered--forming galaxies and solar systems.

Outer space is the largest global commons. In 1967, the United Nations declared outer space "the common province of Mankind." Therefore, information gained from weather observation satellites is shared by many countries, and communication satellites can be used to 'beam' television programs around the world. In addition, countries that are able to launch rockets into space are cooperating in order to learn better how to live and work in outer space. For example, thirteen nations are engaged in building an International Space Station. Merja sent me this very nice FDC. The stamps were issued By The UN on 14^th March 1975 and postmarked at New York.

China Maritime Day

Harry from China sent me this nice FDC. On 11th July 2010. The China National Philatelic Corporation issued this FDC with one commemorative stamp entitled "China Maritime Day".

China Maritime Day falls on 11th July, the anniversary of the date  Zheng He of the Ming Dynasty royal court set out on his first overseas voyage. Designated by the State Council in 2005, it is  a national day celebrated by navigation, fishery, shipbuilding, and maritime research and education industries as well as naval forces, often involving cultural activities for popularising navigation and maritime knowledge, enhancing the awareness of coastal defence, and promoting social harmony. It is also the executive date of World Maritime Day in China. China Maritime Day 2010 highlighted the theme of "ocean, sailor and strait",with its primary celebration venue at Quangzhou, Fujian Province.

M Friedensreich Hundertwasser

"The colourful, the abundant, the manifold, is always better than mediocre grey and uniformity."

Friedensreich Hundertwasser was an Austrian painter, architect and sculptor. Born in Vienna, he became one of the best-known contemporary Austrian artists, although controversial, by the end of the 20th century.

Hundertwasser's original and unruly artistic vision expressed itself in pictorial art, environmentalism, philosophy, and design of facades, postage stamps, flags, and clothing (among other areas). The common themes in his work utilized bright colors, organic forms, a reconciliation of humans with nature, and a strong individualism, rejecting straight lines. He remains sui generis, although his architectural work is comparable to Antoni Gaudí in its biomorphic forms and use of tile. He was inspired by the works of Egon Schiele from an early date, and his style was often compared to that of Gustav Klimt. He was fascinated with spirals, and called straight lines "the devil's tools". He called his theory of art "transautomatis", based on Surrealist automatism, but focusing on the experience of the viewer, rather than the artist.

 Although Hundertwasser first achieved notoriety for his boldly-colored paintings, he is more widely renowned today for his revolutionary architectural designs, which incorporate natural features of the landscape, and use of irregular forms in his building design. Hundertwasserhau, a low-income apartment block in Vienna, features undulating floors ("an uneven floor is a melody to the feet"), a roof covered with earth and grass, and large trees growing from inside the rooms, with limbs extending from windows. He took no payment for the design of Hundertwasserhaus, declaring that it was worth it, to "prevent something ugly from going up in its place".

He felt that standard architecture could not be called art, and declared that the design of any building should be influenced by the aesthetics of its eventual tenants. Hundertwasser was also known for his performance art, in which he would, for instance, appear in public in the nude promoting an ecologically friendly flush-less toilet.

The UN issued these stamps and the cover on 9.2.1983 in honour ofHundertwasser. Merja sent me this pretty FDC. The signature on the cover are those of this great artist and architect.

Canada - Wedding of Prince William

These stamps and the Minisheet of stamps were issued by Canada to commemorate the wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine Middleton, which took place on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London. Prince William, second in the line of succession to Queen Elizabeth II, first met Catherine Middleton in 2001, when both were studying at the University of St Andrews. Their engagement on 20 October 2010 was announced on 16 November 2010. The build-up to the wedding and the occasion itself attracted much media attention, with the service being broadcast live around the world, and being compared and contrasted in many ways with the 1981 marriage of William's parents, Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. Some estimates said two billion people watched the wedding across the world, and 24.5 million watched the event live in the UK, but the verified TV audience was closer to 300 million people globally.

Much of the attention focused on Kate Middleton's status as a commoner (i.e., not of recent royal blood or a part of the aristocracy) marrying into royalty. Hours before the service, the Queen conferred the titles Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn, and Baron Carrickfergus upon William. Upon her marriage, Middleton therefore became Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge, but is not styled as 'Princess Catherine'. Guy Dorval sent me these lovely Covers.

World Health Organization (WHO)

What is WHO? Maria who sent me this FDC with stamps issued by Switzerland and postmarked in Geneva on 13.2.75 to mark one of the important Conferences held by the  WHO in Geneva, that dealt with health around the world. This Organisation can be described briefly as explained in the followng paragraphs.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that is concerned with international public health. It was established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and is a member of the United Nations Development Group. Its predecessor, the Health Organization, was an agency of the League of Nations.

The constitution of the World Health Organization had been signed by all 61 countries of the United Nations by 22 July 1946, with the first meeting of the World Health Assembly finishing on 24 July 1948. It incorporated the Office International d'Hygiène Publique and the League of Nations Health Organization. Since its creation, WHO has been responsible for playing a leading role in the eradication of smallpox. Its current priorities include communicable diseases, in particular, HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis; the mitigation of the effects of non-communicable diseases; sexual and reproductive health, development, and ageing; nutrition, food security and healthy eating; substance abuse; and drive the development of reporting, publications, and networking. WHO is responsible for the World Health Report, a leading international publication on health, the worldwide World Health Survey, and World Health Day.

Belarus at the 2010 Winter Olympics at Vancouver, Canada

The stamps on the First Day cover were issued by Belarus to celebrate the three medal winners from their country at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Natalia sent me this nice FDC. The 2010 Winter Olympics logo,named Ilanaaq the Inukshuk. And it is this very traditional symbol that stands on Whistler Mountain pointing the way to the winter sports atheletes. And this symbol is also drawn on the postmark on the FDC.

Belarusian athletes participated in hockey, biathlon, freestyle skiing, cross-country skiing, alpine skiing and skating.

Athletes from Belarus began their Olympic participation at the 1952 Summer Games in Helsinki, Finland as part of the Soviet Union (IOC code: URS). After the Soviet Union disbanded in 1991, Belarus, along with four of the other fourteen former Soviet republics, competed in the 1992 Winter Olympics (held in Albertville, France) as the Unified Team. Later in 1992, eleven republics joined Belarus to compete as the Unified Team at the Summer Games in Barcelona, Spain. Two years later, Belarus competed for the first time as an independent nation in the 1994 Winter Olympics, held in Lillehammer, Norway. From 1952 until the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin, Italy, 168 Belarusian athletes won 200 medals either as part of the Soviet Union or as independent Belarus.

Belarus won three medals. Alexei Grishin took the nation’s only gold in freestyle skiing – men’s aerials. Sergey Novikov took silver in the men’s 20-kilometers individual biathlon, while Darya Domracheva took bronze in the women’s 15-kilometer individual biathlon. The men's hockey team was eliminated in the first round of playoffs.

45 th Anniversary of the United Nations

Merja gave me this lovely First Day Cover which was released with the two very attractive stamps seen on the minisheet on the cover. The celebration was for the 45^th Anniversary of the United Nations on 26^th June 1990.

Centenary of the Universal Postal Union

Established in 1874, the Universal Postal Union (UPU), with its headquarters in the Swiss capital Berne, is the second oldest international organization worldwide. With its 192 member countries, the UPU is the primary forum for cooperation between postal sector players. It  helps to ensure a truly universal network of up-to-date products and services.

In this way, the organization fulfils an advisory, mediating and liaison role, and provides technical assistance where needed. It sets the rules for international mail exchanges and makes recommendations to stimulate growth in mail, parcel and financial services volumes and improve quality of service for customers.

This FDC was released in New York by the UN on 22^nd March 1974 to commemorate the Centenary of the UPU. Thank you Merja for this nice FDC.

Presidency of the EU 1.7.2012

This card sent by Merja to me commemorates Cyprus taking over the Presidency of the EU for the second half of 2012.

Many have questioned the effectiveness of this system of half-yearly Presidency. To me it seems totally meaningless.

Future for Refugees

The United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (CRSR) is an international convention that defines who is a refugee, and sets out the rights of individuals who are granted asylum and the responsibilities of nations that grant asylum. The Convention also sets out which people do not qualify as refugees, such as war criminals. The Convention also provides for some visa-free travel for holders of travel documents issued under the convention.

"A person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.."

This FDC given to me by my friend Merja was issued by the UN on 25.9.1984 to highlight the prevailing refugee problems around the world those days.

50th anniversary of Self-government of Åland

This FDC was issued to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of Self-government of  Åland on 9.6.1972. The stamp on the cover issued by Finland shows the Map and the Coat of Arms of Åland. A maypole is depicted on the cover. However, let it not be forgotten that ÅLAND BECAME INDEPENDENT AGAINST THE WILL OF ITS INHABITANTS. The years from 1917-1921 were dramatic in Åland's modern history, and brings Åland forward to its status today - an autonomous province within the borders of Finland.

After the Russian revolution of 1917 some political groups in Åland felt the winds of change and started discussing a reunion with the old motherland Sweden. Meetings were held - in the beginning in secrecy - and petitions collected among the people. A majority were for a reunion with Sweden and a petition that expressed the wish of the Åland people was presented to the King of Sweden Gustav V.

Finland became independent from Russia in 1917 and the government restructured Åland in 1918 as a province. The Åland people responded with electing an illegal council that also internationally acted for Åland's reunion with Sweden. The Swedish government agreed to the demands while Finland rejected them. But the Finnish government was prepared to allow Åland a form of inner independence and in 1920 the Finnish government accepted a self governing law for Åland. The law became effective on the 6th of May but the Åland people refused to acknowledge it. The Finnish Prime Minister then arrived to Åland to deal with the unruly islanders that didn't want any self-government. The leaders of Åland, Julius Sundblom and Carl Björkman were accused of high treason and sentenced to penitentiary, but were pardoned by the Finnish president.

The arrest of the two Åland leaders only worsened the conflict and the case was referred to the League of Nations. In June 1921 the league made its decision: Finland was to have sovereignty over Åland and the self governing law from 1920 should be broadened with  additional guarantees. The Swedish language would be protected and the Åland land would remain in the hands of the natives. In Åland the disappointment was great over the decision. In 1922 the first elections of the new Åland Parliament were held and its first plenary assembly was on June 9th of the same year. That day is now celebrated as Åland's Independence Day. Pia gave me this nice FDC.

Giant Panda's of Macau

A week before Christmas 2010, Macao rolled out the red carpet for two VIPs from Sichuan in southwest China – a pair of young giant pandas. They were sent by the central government as a gift to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the city’s return to Chinese rule. Kai Kai and Xin Xin arrived in a chartered plane and were greeted at the airport by cheering senior officials, dozens of young students, and veterinary doctors. Then, guarded by a dedicated security team, the two big cuddly creatures were driven in a specially designed van to their 90-million-pataca home in Macao – the newly built 3,000-square-metre Giant P Kai Kai and Xin Xin, whose names were derived from the Chinese characters for ‘happy’, have lived up to expectations and brought delight to their fans.anda Pavilion in Seac Pai Van Park in Coloane. Maria sent me these two FDCs , one with the two stamps and the bigger cover with the souvenir sheet. These were issued on 18.12.2010 to celebrate the arrival of the first two pandas to Macau.

This post is about the mammal in the bear family. The panda ("black and white cat-foot"), also known as the giant panda to distinguish it from the unrelated red panda, is a bear native to central-western and south western China. It is easily recognized by its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the panda's diet is 99% bamboo. Pandas in the wild will occasionally eat other grasses, wild tubers, or even meat in the form of birds, rodents or carrion. In captivity they may receive honey, eggs, fish, yams, shrub leaves, oranges, or bananas along with specially prepared food.

The giant panda lives in a few mountain ranges in central China, mainly in Sichuan province, but also in the Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. As a result of farming,deforestation and other development, the panda has been driven out of the lowland areas where it once lived.

The panda is a conservation reliant endangered species. A 2007 report shows 239 pandas living in captivity inside China and another 27 outside the country. Wild population estimates vary; one estimate shows that there are about 1,590 individuals living in the wild, while a 2006 study via DNA analysis estimated that this figure could be as high as 2,000 to 3,000. Some reports also show that the number of pandas in the wild is on the rise. However, the IUCN does not believe there is enough certainty yet to reclassify the species from Endangered to Vulnerable.

While the dragon has often served as China's national emblem, internationally the panda appears at least as commonly. As such, it is becoming widely used within China in international contexts, for example the five Fuwa mascots of the Beijing Olympics.