1992 Summer Olympic Games 3.4.1992

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.

Cyprus commemorated the games with the issue of these four lovely stamps on the beautiful first day cover.

Thank you Merja for this lovely FDC.

McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System

This bright blue, dark blue and black 6c stamp was issued at Little Rock, AR on 1.10.1968 to celebrate the opening of the first portion of the Arkansas River to commercial navigation.  The system has 17 locks and dams.  Twelve of these are located in Arkansas and five in Oklahoma.  In 1971, an Act of Congress designated the official name of the waterway as the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System.  This name is commonly abbreviated as MKARNS.

The MKARNS system is made up of 445 river miles with a minimum water depth of nine feet.  Its benefits include: water supply, navigation, fish and wildlife conservation, recreation, hydroelectric generation, and flood control.  Over the past 30 years, the MKARNS has created 54,000 jobs, generating a payroll of over $1 billion.

Thank you Merja for this nice FDC.

Prominent Americans Series - Albert Gallatin 30.1.1967

Prominent Americans Series. The Prominent Americans Series recognizes people who played important -  roles in U.S. history. Officials originally planned to honor 18 individuals, but later added seven others. The Prominent Americans Series began with the 4¢ Lincoln stamp, which was issued on November 10, 1965. During the course of the series, the 6¢ Eisenhower stamp was reissued with an 8¢ denomination and the 5¢ Washington was redrawn.

The light green 1 ¼¢ denomination stamp pictures Albert Gallatin. Gallatin (1761-1849) who was born in Geneva, Switzerland. His aristocratic family included physicians, statesmen, and soldiers – one of his relatives commanded a battalion at the battle of Yorktown. At the age of 19, Gallatin emigrated to the United States. Under the terms of the Articles of Confederation, he became a citizen after nine years of residency. The stamp was aptly postmarked in the City of Gallatin, MO on 30.1.1967.

Gallatin taught French at Harvard University, but was drawn to public service. In 1790, he was elected to the Pennsylvania legislature. Gallatin was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1793. However, he was forced from office when opponents claimed he had not been a citizen long enough. In 1794, Gallatin was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He held that office until 1801, when President Thomas Jefferson appointed him Secretary of the Treasury.

 Gallatin was very effective as Secretary of the Treasury. He played a key role in the financial details of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. In this transaction with France, the U.S. gained 827,987 square miles of land. Eventually, all or parts of 15 states were created from this land, including eastern Montana. Gallatin made the Louisiana Purchase possible without raising taxes. He was also key in resolving the constitutional issues that made this unprecedented purchase quite complicated.

He was a signatory of the The Treaty of Ghent, signed on 24 December 1814 in the Flemish city of Ghent, was the peace treaty that ended the War of 1812 between the United States of America and the United Kingdom.  

 A remarkable statesman, Gallatin even helped to plan the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which explored the lands of the Louisiana Purchase and America’s northwest. The Lewis and Clark Expedition named the Gallatin River in Montana in his honor. Gallatin County, Montana, took its name from this river, and subsequently from this influential, yet little-known statesman.

Thank you Dear Merja for this fine FDC.

Washington & Lee University 12.4.1949

This 3¢ ultramarine stamp on the cover was issued by the US to commemorate the Washington & Lee University. The first day of issue postmark was appropriately done on 12.4.1949 at Lexington, Virginia where the University is located. 

In 1749, Scotch and Irish immigrants founded Augusta Academy, a small classical school deep in the Virginia valley. Inspired by patriotism, the academy trustees changed the name to Liberty Hall. The school relocated to nearby Lexington four years later and was empowered by the Virginia legislature to grant degrees.

In 1796, George Washington saved the struggling academy with an endowment of $20,000 worth of stock. In gratitude, the trustees changed the school’s name to Washington Academy. The donation was one of the largest in its time and continues to offset the university’s operating budget today.

General Robert E. Lee served as the president of the university in 1865. Under Lee’s direction, the university offered the first college courses in business and journalism in the United States. After Lee’s death in 1870, trustees changed the name toWashington and Lee University.

Thank you Merja for this nice FDC.

IMAS 92 - Quality of shipping in the year 2000 9.11.1992

This lovely First Day Cover sent to me by Merja was issued by Cyprus to commemorate an International conference on the quality of shipping in the year 2000, which was held at the Cyprus International Conference Centre, Nicosia, Cyprus, from 11-13 November 1992.

International Conference of the American Institute of Planners2.10.1967

The stamp on this cover was Issued for the International Conference of the American Institute of Planners, this stamp publicizes the importance of urban planning and development. The Dark blue, light blue and black 5cent stamp was issued on 2.10.1967 at Washington, DC.

Urban planning is a combination of science and art that seeks to organize all related features of a city.  The goal of urban planning is to manage land use, transportation systems, and public works in a way that results in a compact downtown business area, mixed residential neighborhoods, and a minimal amount of urban sprawl.  Portland, Oregon, is often referred to as a model of successful urban planning.

150th anniversary of the Finnish Parliament 17.9.2013

On  September 17, 2013 Itella Posti Oy issued a 1st class stamp to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Finnish Parliament. Established in 1863, regular parliamentary sessions played a central part in the development of the Finnish nation state.

Designed by Timo Berry, the simplified and dignified stamp depicts the words of the anniversary, describing the importance of the Parliament, Lakia, työtä, rauhaa, valoa (Law, work, peace, light), the last of which refers to civilization and culture. In the background, the borders of Finland are illuminated, detaching Finland from its past. The stamp also depicts the emblem of the anniversary.

Thank you Ella for this nice FDC.

Clara Barton - Founder of the American Red Cross7.9.1948

Clara Barton (1821-1912). She was the Founder of the American Red Cross. U.S. 3¢ stamp honours Clara Barton. The stamp pictures Barton and the Red Cross symbol.

Barton was born in North Oxford, Massachusetts. Her service during the American Civil War earned her the title “Angel of the Battlefield.” After touring Europe, where she learned of the International Red Cross, she returned home and started a similar organization, the American Red Cross, in 1881.

Thank you Dear Merja for this nice FDC.

Norway Tourism 1998

The stamps on this FDC were issued by Norway on 20.4.1998 to promote tourism. They chose these three sites for the stamp issue, namely, The Holmenkollen ski jump in Oslo, Ålesund is a town and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county and the mountain Hamarøyskaftet. A short brief about the three will not be out of place. The places I am telling you about are shown on the map on the cover.

The Holmenkollen ski jump is a landmark in Oslo. This is the hill that was demolished in 2008 to make way for a new one in 2010. Holmenkollen is a neighborhood in the Vestre Aker borough of Oslo, Norway. In addition to being a residential area, the area has been a ski recreation area since the late 19th century, with its famous, eponymous, ski jumping hill, the Holmenkollbakken, hosting competitions since 1892. To the north, the area borders to the woodlands area Marka.

The town of Ålesund is the administrative centre of Ålesund Municipality, as well as the principal shipping town of the Sunnmøre district. Ålesund Municipality has a population of 45,033 as of 2013, while the greater Ålesund urban area has a population of 48,460 (this also includes most of neighbouring Sula Municipality as well).

Ålesund has the most important fishing harbour in Norway. The town's fishing fleet is one of the most modern in Europe. Ålesund and surroundings also has a large furniture industry. Some well-known household items are manufactured here. In the 1950s and 1960s, Ålesund was one of the chief stations of the herring fishery business.

Hamarøy is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Salten. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Oppeid. Other villages include Innhavet, Karlsøy, Presteid, Skutvika, Tømmerneset, Tranøy, and Ulvsvåg.

The mountain Hamarøyskaftet has long been regarded as nature's own phallic symbol. Hamarøyskaftet (locally known as the "handle") is one of the mountains that make up Hamarøytindan in Hamarøy municipality in Nordland .

The mountain is 512 m.  and is located approximately in the middle of mountain range, approx. 5.3 km southwest of Hamsund and 7.5 miles northeast of Skutvik , and is a distinctive landmark with its almost vertical sides and "swaying" in the back. To the northeast lies Shaft heath against Eldridtinden, and in the southwest Sandheia against Vassengfjellet.

The walk up is described as a simple climb that most can do, but it is recommended that one should have a guide while on the trail. Mountaineer Martin Ekroll from Skrova was the first to climb Hamarøyskaftet in 1885 .

The stamp with a value of NOK 5.50 of Hamarøyskafet photographed by Johan Brun was named as the year's most beautiful postage stamp.

Thank you Pia for this pretty FDC.

1968 - International Year for Human Rights.18.3.1968

On December 10, 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. To mark this event the U.N. General Assembly had unanimously designated the whole of  1968, as International Human Rights Year.

Much has been accomplished since 1948, but no country in the world has yet fully implemented the rights affirmed in the Universal Declaration.

Thank you Merja for this nice FDC with the minisheet commemorating 1968 as the International Year for Human Rights.

Canada Centenary

This multicoloured 5¢ Canada Centenary stamp commemorates the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Articles of Confederation, which established Canada as part of the British Commonwealth. The Canadian Centennial issue was the first U.S. stamp to have first day ceremonies and cancellation on foreign soil - in Montreal.

The Star Spangled Banner 9.8.1948

The Rose pink U.S. 3¢ stamp on this first day of issue cover was issued on 9.8.1948 at Frederick, MD which honoured the  “Star Spangled Banner” author Francis Scott Key. The stamp features a portrait of Key, American flags from 1814 and 1948, his family home, and Fort McHenry.

“The Star Spangled Banner”. “And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?” A respected young lawyer from Georgetown named Francis Scott Key (1779-1843) authored this excerpt, from one of the most famous songs ever written about the American flag. 

The story of Key’s experience leading up to the writing of this song begins in August 1814. After the British invaded America’s capitol, and set fire to the White House, Key learned that a loved and respected physician from Upper Marlboro named Dr. William Beanes had been taken by the British. The locals asked Key to rescue him. 

Key, joined by Colonel John Skinner, boarded the Tonnant, where Beanes was being held, and convinced the British to release him. However, the three had overheard many of the British plans and were held behind the British fleet. On September 13, 1814, the 25-hour battle began. The British fired 1,500 bombshells through the air by dawn onSeptember 14, at which point they retreated. 

Key anxiously waited in the darkness. He hoped that when light came, he might still see the flag. And, much to his relief, “the flag was still there.” 

The poem he wrote on that day was set to the tune of the British drinking song, “The Anacreontic Song,” by John Stafford Smith. The Navy first officially used the song in 1889. President Herbert Hoover officially made it the national anthem in 1931 by a congressional resolution.

Thank you Dear Merja for this memorable First Day Cover.

Marcel Prawy

Marcel Prawy (birth name: Marcel Horace Frydmann, Ritter von Prawy) (born 29 December 1911, in Vienna  – 23 February 2003, in Vienna) was an Austrian dramaturg, opera connoisseur and opera critic.Prawy was born into a Jewish Austro-Hungarian noble family.               

He studied law, but his life belonged to the opera. As secretary of the tenor Jan Kiepura, he emigrated to the USA when persecution of the Austrian Jews became unbearable in the late 1930s. With the help of his confidante Martha Eggerth he became acquainted with American musicals and music in general. After the end of the Second World War, Prawy returned to Vienna and brought with him the musical Kiss me, Kate. It was received by the Viennese with great reservation as they feared the arrival of the American-style musical would spell the end of the traditional Viennese operetta. Nonetheless, Prawy succeeded and was considered henceforth as the one who made German language musicals acceptable and popular.

 He became widely known and highly regarded because of a television and radio broadcast series produced by the ORF, where he introduced his viewers and listeners to the world of opera and operetta with outstanding knowledge of the subject matter and marvelous humor. He was awarded numerous awards and honours by the nation and internationally, including becoming honorary citizen of Vienna and Miami. Hardly anyone succeeded in picturing opera to his audience as impressively as he did. And thus Prawy became an institution of the Viennese opera as the National Guide to Opera (Opernführer der Nation).

In his final years, Prawy was quite frank about his unique, and rather eccentric, method of archiving his enormous collection, gathered over many decades, of theatre programmes, recordings, letters, photographs, personal notes, and similar loose sheets.  

On his 90th birthday in 2001, a special celebration was held for him in the Vienna State Opera. Prawy's death in 2003 of a lung embolism was regarded as the passing of one of the last witnesses of an old time gone by and greatly mourned by the public.

Thank you Daniella for this lovely miniature sheet honouring a great musician.

The Great River Road 21.10.1966

US 5¢ Vermillion, yellow, blue and green stamp on this cover was issued at Baton Rouge on 21.1966 to publicize the 5,600 mile Great River Road, which is a largely undivided highway following the Mississippi River from New Orleans to Ontario, Canada.

The Great River Road is a collection of state and local roads which follow the course of the Mississippi River through ten states of the United States. They are Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

Although in a literal sense it is just a series of roads, the Great River Road is also a larger region inside the US and in each state. It is not a road in the sense of a local, state or national highway but the term is instead used for tourism and historic purposes. Some states have designated or identified regions of state interest along the road and use the roads to encompass those regions. The road travels through or near many natural and urban areas.

Divided into two main sections, the road consists of the Great River Road and the National Scenic Byway Route. The eponymous segment runs on both sides of the river from Louisiana through the state borders of Kentucky/Illinois and Missouri/Iowa, excepting the full length of the road in Arkansas. A five-state section of the road has been designated a National Scenic Byway, running through Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.

Developed in 1938, the road has a separate commission in each state. These in turn cooperate through the Mississippi River Parkway Commission (MRPC). The 2,340 miles (3,765 km) are designated with a green-and-white sign showing a river steamboat inside a pilotwheel with the name of the state or province. The over-all logo reads "Canada to Gulf" where the local name would be, and most MRPC publications denote the route as beginning in Ontario and ending in Louisiana.

Thank you Merja for this nice cover.

1966 EUROPA CEPT - Dutch and Swiss FDCs 26.9.1966

Symbolic Ship. Representing CEPT steady progress on a Calm Sea. Designed by German brothers Josef and Gregor Bender. This was the theme on EUROPA CEPT postage stamps in 1966.
Thank you Maria.

100 years of U.S. friendship with Canada

This 3¢ U.S. stamp on the cover postmarked on the first day of issue at the Niagara Falls, NY on 2.8.1948commemorates 100 years of U.S. friendship with Canada. The stamp pictures the old Niagara Railway Suspension Bridge. This bridge was replaced by a double-decker suspension bridge in 1855 and later the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge in 1897.

The Niagara River and Niagara Falls. A spectacular natural wonder, Niagara Falls is located on the Niagara Riverbetween the Great Lakes of Erie and Ontario. The Niagara River forms the border between the U.S. and Canada. There are two waterfalls, the Horseshoe Falls, which is in Canada, and the American Falls, which is in New York. About 10 million people visit Niagara Falls each year.

The Horseshoe Falls is the most dramatic – 85% of the Niagara River’s water flows over it. Horseshoe Falls is 167 feet high and about 2,600 feet wide. The American Falls is 176 feet high and about 1,000 feet wide.

Over the years, the United States and Canada have reached many agreements over the management of the Niagara River and Niagara Falls. Bridges crossing the Niagara River serve as reminders of the excellent relations between the two nations.

Thank you Merja for this nice cover.

150th Anniversary of the Danube Commission

Thank you My friend Karoly from Serbia for this very nice First Day Cover. The pretty stamp on the left shows the city of Novi Sad and the one on the right Belgrade the Capital.

US Bill of Right's 1.7.1966

The stamp on this cover issued on 1.7.1966 at Miami Beach, FL commemorates the 175th anniversary of the Bill of Rights (the first ten amendments to the constitution) that established freedom of religion and speech, freedom of the press, the right to a jury trial and other safeguards to human rights.

The Bill of Rights is the collective name for the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. Proposed to assuage the fears of Anti-Federalists who had opposed Constitutional ratification, these amendments guarantee a number of personal freedoms, limit the government's power in judicial and other proceedings, and reserve some powers to the states and the public. While originally the amendments applied only to the federal government, most of their provisions have since been applied to the states by way of the Fourteenth Amendment, a process known as incorporation.

The amendments were introduced by James Madison to the 1st United States Congress as a series of legislative articles. They were adopted by the House of Representatives on August 21, 1789, formally proposed by joint resolution of Congress on September 25, 1789, and came into effect as Constitutional Amendments on December 15, 1791, through the process of ratification by three-fourths of the states. While twelve amendments were proposed by Congress, only ten were originally ratified by the states. Of the remaining two, one was adopted 203 years later as the Twenty-seventh Amendment, and the other technically remains pending before the states.

The Bill of Rights enumerates freedoms not explicitly indicated in the main body of the Constitution, such as freedom of religion, freedom of speech, a free press, and free assembly; the right to keep and bear arms; freedom from unreasonable search and seizure, security in personal effects, and freedom from warrants issued without probable cause; indictment by a grand jury for any capital or "infamous crime"; guarantee of a speedy, public trial with an impartial jury; and prohibition of double jeopardy. In addition, the Bill of Rights reserves for the people any rights not specifically mentioned in the Constitution and reserves all powers not specifically granted to the federal government to the people or the States. The Bill was influenced by George Mason's 1776 Virginia Declaration of Rights, the English Bill of Rights 1689, and earlier English political documents such as Magna Carta (1215).

The Bill of Rights had little judicial impact for the first 150 years of its existence, but was the basis for many Supreme Court decisions of the 20th and 21st centuries. One of the first fourteen copies of the Bill of Rights is on public display at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

1965 EUROPA CEPT - Tree Sprig 27.2.1965

These three FDCS from Iceland, Italy and Turkey all have the same picture on the stamp. It is a Tree sprig. Designed by Hoerder Karlsson from Iceland. Three leaves are said to represent Posts,Telegraphs and Telephones the theme for EUROPA CEPT stamps of 1965.

Thank you Maria for these nice covers.

100 years of women’s progress

U.S. 3¢ dark violet Progress of Women stamp commemorates 100 years of women’s progress. The stamp pictures Elizabeth Stanton, Carrie C. Catt, and Lucretia Mott. It was issued on 19.7.1948 at Seneca Falls, NY.

100th Anniversary of the First Women’s Rights Convention. This stamp was issued on the 100th anniversary of the first women’s rights convention in the United States. Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902) and Lucretia Coffin Mott (1793-1880) met while attempting to attend the World Anti-Slavery Convention in London – women were kept from attending the conference. Outraged, the two pledged to work for women’s rights.  Stanton and Mott organized the first women’s rights conference in the U.S. in Seneca Falls, New York. Many famous Americans, including Frederick Douglass, attended the two-day event, held July 19-20, 1848.

Carrie Chapman Catt (1859-1947) was the president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association from 1900-04 and from 1915-20, when the 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote. In 1920, she founded the National League of Women Voters, now the League of Women Voters, to teach women about public affairs so that they could vote wisely. Today, the Women’s Rights National Historic Park stands near the spot where the Seneca Falls Convention was held.

Thank you Merja for this memorable cover which was postmarked at Seneca Falls, NY on the first day of issue.

The Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius

This Russian miniature sheet was issued on 29^th August 2012 In commemoration of The Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is the most important Russian monastery and the spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church. The monastery is situated in the town of Sergiyev Posad, about 70 km to the north-east from Moscow by the road leading to Yaroslavl, and currently is home to over 300 monks.

The monastery was founded in 1345 by one of the most venerated Russian saints, Sergius of Radonezh, who built a wooden church in honour of the Holy Trinity on Makovets Hill. Early development of the monastic community is well documented in contemporary lives of Sergius and his disciples.

My Russian friend Irina sent me this lovely mini sheet.

Sixth International Philatelic Exhibition (SIPEX) 21.5.1966

This multicoloured 5¢ issue was released on 21.5.1966 at Washington, DC to commemorate the Sixth International Philatelic Exhibition (SIPEX) at Washington, D.C., in 1966. It was the first international stamp show ever held in the US National capital.

Thank you Merja.

100th Birth Anniversary of John Ringling 2.5.1966

This stamp was released on 2.5.1966 at Delavan, WI to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of John Ringling and to honor the American Circus industry. John Nicholas Ringling (May 31, 1866 – December 2, 1936) is the most well-known of the seven Ringling brothers, five of whom merged the Barnum & Bailey Circus with their own Ringling Brothers Circus to create a virtual monopoly of traveling circuses and helped shape the circus into what it is today. He was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in 1987. Let me give you a brief about the Ringling Brothers. The Ringling Brothers Circus was a circus founded in the United States in 1884 by five of the seven Ringling Brothers: Albert (1852–1916), August (1854–1907), Otto (1858–1911), Alfred T. (1862–1919), Charles (1863–1926), John (1866–1936), and Henry (1869–1918). In 1907 it acquired the Barnum & Bailey Circus, merging them in 1919 to become Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus, promoted as The Greatest Show on Earth.

We all know that children love to watch fun shows like magic shows, trick shows, and other entertaining shows that we have in our local place. These places could be a movie theatre, Disney Land, giant aquariums, and other entertaining parks. But one thing that is not common to many places is the circus show.  But, what is a circus? A circus is actually known to be a traveling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals (both pet and wild), musicians, trapeze acts, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists, and other stunts oriented artists that are included in the show. 

Let me share with you my personal experiences in watching live circus shows. It was many decades ago when I was a kid, that one of the circus companies The Great Rayman Circus visited Delhi. My parents decided to buy tickets for all of us so we could watch and experience a circus. The circus company stayed in our place for a week and we watched second to the last day. The entire experience is still fresh in my mind up to now. I can still remember every detail. If I have one memory of my childhood that I can’t forget, it’s my experience of watching circus show live. It was my first time to see real lions, tigers, bears, elephants, and monkeys. Seeing those animals at my age was really a great experience for me. I love animals and that was my first time to see real wild animals, but of course they were caged for the safety of everybody. As we went inside this giant tent where the show was to be performed, my heart was really beating fast.

What I can remember circus’ are the different kind of tricks, and some of them are still being performed today like the sword swallowing tricks, fire breathing, juggling, unicyclists, tightrope walking, acrobats. My favorite used to be the trained animals. I’ve seen lions and tigers in one cage together and the trainer was giving them commands that they need to follow.  I could go on and on about the circus!

Thank you Dear Merja for this lovely cover.

Mississippi Territory

This U.S. 3¢ stamp commemorates the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Mississippi Territory. The stamp pictures an outline of the territory, the state as it is today, the seal of the Mississippi Territory, and Governor Winthrop Sargent, the territory’s first governor.

Winthrop Sargent (1753-1820) was the First Governor of the Mississippi Territory. Winthrop Sargent was born into a prominent family in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Sargent attended Harvard before serving in the Continental Army, where he achieved the rank of major. As secretary of the Ohio Company he was one of the founders of Marietta, Ohio. Sargent served as Secretary of the Northwest Territory, and was twice wounded during a losing battle against Indians at Fort Recovery in 1791.

President John Adams appointed Sargent the first governor of the Mississippi Territory in 1798. The capital city was Natchez where this cover was postmarked on the first day of issue of this stamp on 7.4.1948. Well educated and a skilled leader, Sargent made many contributions to the Mississippi Territory, including authoring its legal code. However, he was not popular with the people, nor was he particularly powerful politically. When Thomas Jefferson was elected in 1801, he removed Sargent from office.

Sargent chose to remain near Natchez, and he became a cotton planter. In 1820, three years after Mississippi achieved statehood, he decided to move to Philadelphia. Sargent died during the voyage to Pennsylvania.

And Yes! I have been quite clumsy here, in trying to blank out the recipients name and address :-((

Internationl Polar Year 2008 - A comprehensive study of the Northern Sea Route

The stamps on this minisheet were issued by Russia on 28^th August, 2008 in commemoration of the International Polar Year and the launching of A comprehensive study of the Northern Sea Route.

The Arctic policy of Russia is the domestic and foreign policy of the Russian Federation with respect to the Russian region of the Arctic. The Russian region of the Arctic is defined in the "Russian Arctic Policy" as all Russian possessions located north of the Arctic Circle. (About one-fifth of Russia's landmass is north of the Arctic Circle.) Russia is one of five countries bordering the Arctic Ocean. In 2011, out of 4 million inhabitants of Arctic, roughly 2 million lived in arctic Russia, making it thus the largest arctic country by population. However, in recent years Russia's Arctic population has been declining.

The main goals of Russia in its Arctic policy are to use Russia's Arctic as a resource source, protect its ecosystems, use the seas as a transportation system in Russia's interests, and ensure that it remains a zone of peace and cooperation. Russia currently maintains a military presence in the Arctic and has plans to improve it, as well as strengthen the Border Guard/Coast Guard presence there. Using the Arctic for economic gain has been done by Russia for centuries for shipping and fishing. Russia has plans to exploit the large offshore resource deposits in the Arctic. The Northern Sea Route is of particular importance to Russia for transportation, and the Russian Security Council is considering projects for its development. The Security Council also stated a need for increasing investment in Arctic infrastructure.

Russia conducts extensive research in the Arctic region, notably the manned drifting ice stations and the Arktika 2007 expedition, which was the first to reach the seabed at the North Pole. The research is partly aimed to back up Russia's territorial claims, in particular those related to Russia's extended continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean.

Thank you Elena for this lovely set of stamps.