EUROPA CEPT 1992 - Discovery of America - Liechtenstein 2.3.1992

These two stamps issued by Liechtenstein on 2.3.1992 were on account of the ongoing EUROPA CEPT series of stamps. The theme for EUROPA stamps in 1992 was “Discovery of America” commemorating the 500^th Anniversary of the voyages of Christopher Columbus to the New World. 

In the early modern period, the voyages of Christopher Columbus initiated European exploration and colonization of the American continents and are thus of great significance in world history. Christopher Columbus was a navigator and an admiral for Spain. He made four voyages to the Americas, the first being in 1492 which resulted in the "discovery of America" from a European point of view.

The discovery of America has been attributed to others depending on context and definition. Some argue that Asians migrating across the Bering Strait to North America in prehistoric times (between 12,000 and 42,000 years ago) were the first to "discover" America. Others point to the Vikings which established a short-lived settlement in Newfoundland circa 1000. While Columbus was possibly not the first European to voyage to the New World and did not reach the mainland until his third voyage in 1498, his discovery led to the widespread knowledge of the existence of a new continent, for the first time in history. The breakthrough in geographical science led to the colonization of the New World by major European sea powers and is sometimes cited as the start of the Modern Era.

Thank you Maria.

Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement 2.2.1983

This first day cover was issued to commemorate the signing of Australia – New Zealand Closer Economic Relations (ANZCER) Trade Agreement in 1983.
The Australia – New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement (known as ANZCERTA or the CER Agreement) is one of the most comprehensive bilateral free trade agreements in existence. It covers substantially all trans-Tasman trade in goods, including agricultural products, and was the first to include free trade in services.
The Agreement's central provision is the creation of a World Trade Organization (WTO)-consistent Free Trade Area encompassing Australia and New Zealand. Since ANZCERTA entered into force in 1983, the two way trade in goods between the two countries has expanded at an average annual growth rate of eight per cent.

Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Mr Lionel Bowen, and the New Zealand High Commissioner to Australia, Sir Laurie Francis, signed the Australia – New Zealand Closer Economic Relations (CER) Trade Agreement in Canberra on 28th March 1983.

Thank you Maria.

Greenlandic painter Jakob Danielsen

The Greenlandic painter Jakob Danielsen lived from 1888 to 1938. The drawings and watercolors, he depicted the Greenlandic everyday life and the and the Greenlandic culture exciting from hunting and fishing to life in the home, dansemik and ball games.
It can be said that Jacob Danielsen production is a testament to a people brave and resourceful struggle for existence.

The painting by Jakob Danielsen depicted on the stamp shows Eric the Red and his boat. The postmark also acknowledges Danielsen with his initials JD.

 

Eirikr rauði Þorvaldsson (approx. 950-1003 AD) was called Erik the Red because of his red beard and hair, and perhaps also because of his fiery temper. It is said that he was a particularly hot-headed fellow who, after being exiled from first Norway and later Iceland, finally settled in Greenland.

According to the sagas, his father, Þorvaldr Ásvaldsson, was exiled from Norway in 960 AD as a result of 'a number of killings', and Erik's entire family thus settled on Iceland. Here Erik the Red married Tjodhilde, but history now repeated itself and his father's fate also befell Erik. In 982 he was sentenced to exile from Iceland for three years for murder.

Erik the Red's discovery of Greenland. It is for this reason that in the same year he sailed west and discovered a country with an inviting fjord landscape and fertile green valleys. He was extremely impressed with the new country's resources and he returned to Iceland to spread the word of "The green land".

Erik the Red clearly had great powers of persuasion because in 985 he set sail once more from the volcanic island leading a fleet of 25 ships on course for Greenland. Onboard were around 500 men and women, domestic animals and all the other elements required to create a new existence in a new country.

Of the 25 ships only 14 made it to their destination. Erik the Red established the chieftain's seat of power at Brattahlið - now Qassiarsuk – in Southern Greenland, whilst others continued further north to the fjord near Nuuk. The two societies were known as the east and west settlements.

In around the year 1000 Erik the Red's son, Leif Erikson, returned to Greenland following a long period in Norway, and Leif - whose byname was 'the Fortunate' - brought with him the first Christian missionaries. Shortly afterwards the first Christian church on the North American continent, Tjodhilde’s Church, was built in Brattahlið. Today a reconstruction of the small church can be seen in Qassiarsuk.



Thank you Merja.

Marlborough Centenial 2.3.1959

These three stamps commemorate the Marlborough Centenial in New Zealand on 2nd March 1959.

In collaboration with the Historical Society of Marlborough, it was decided that the stamps should depict unique features from the Province including Captain Cook's landing at Ship Cove in 1769; the salt works at Blenheim; and the wool industry of the region.

2d
The careening (clean and repair) of Captain James Cook's 'Endeavour' at Ship Cove in Queen Charlotte Sound, 1769 during his first visit to New Zealand.

3d
Bullock cart unloading wool bales onto a surf boat for transfer to a sailing ship at the Wairau Bar in 1857.

 8d
The lake, a shallow lagoon protected from the sea by a barrier of sand dunes, is 40 kilometres south of Blenheim and 10 kilometres south of the mouth of the Awatere River.

Thank you Maria.

The Grey Seal

The grey seal (Halichoerus grypus, meaning "hooked-nosed sea pig") is found on both shores of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is a large seal of the family Phocidae or "true seals". It is the only species classified in the genus Halichoerus. Its name is spelled gray seal in the US; it is also known as Atlantic grey seal and the horsehead seal.

The Faroe Islands issued this stamp and the lovely fdc on 9.6.1992.

Thank you Merja.

Cyprus International Fair 28.5.1983

The Cyprus State Fairs Authority (CSFA) was established in 1968 as a semi-government organization in order to run and promote the annual Cyprus International Fair. It has since expanded and runs several annual and biannual events such as the education fair, and the Cyprus motor show.
The largest event the Cyprus International Fair was first held in 1975. Since then it has steadily grown and in currently has around 130,000 visitors. In 2007 the CSFA announced a decision to rename the event to Expo-Cyprus.
The grounds of the state fair moved to their current location in the Nicosia suburb of Makedonitissa in the early 1970s and have undergone several phases of expansion since. Currently they cover an area of 30,000m² of indoor space and 100,000m² of outdoor grounds. Apart from hosting exhibitions the grounds have at times been used for other purposes such as music concerts, large rave parties even as a service station for the Cyprus arm of the Middle East Rally. In 2006 the American Embassy to Cyprus was allowed to use two large exhibition halls as temporary accommodation to house the thousands of American citizens evacuated from the war in Lebanon.
The CSFA is a member of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry and the International Congress and Convention Association.

Releasing the significance which the preservation and projection of Cultural Heritage has for all mankind, UNESCO has compiled the well known World Cultural Heritage List which includes archaeological sites, monuments and civilization cradles of international splendour. UNESCO included in this important list Ancient Paphos (Palaepaphos and New Paphos) on the 2 September 1980. Ancient Paphos, besides its remarkable contribution to all forms of art, is also the birthplace of Goddess Aphrodite who was worshipped by all civilized people of those times. She has become a world symbol of live and beauty and has inspired artists at all times. It was also in Paphos that Christianity was for the first time preached on a European territory. This new series of stamps commemorates the inclusion of Ancient Paphos in the List and projects its cultural contribution.

The stamp depicts the sign XP, the monogram of Christ together with letters A.

Thank you Merja for this exceptional FDC.

The Good Life

Set on the rugged, beautiful and unspoiled beaches of the South Coast in the Eastern Cape, the Wild Coast Sun Resort and Casino is a popular Sun International destination offering exceptional Wild Coast accommodation. Visitors are attracted to the Wild Coast Sun, not only for its natural splendour, but also for the fabulous facilities and world-class golf course that can be found at the venue.

The Wild Coast Sun is set on 750 hectares of natural bush between the Mtamvuna and Mzamba Rivers with gorgeous accommodation overlooking the Indian Ocean. Although it is in the Eastern Cape, it’s only a kilometre south of KwaZulu-Natal, so it receives a lot of support from local KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape residents. In 2011, the Wild Coast Sun underwent a major refurbishment to improve the casino, restaurants and bars and introduce a new water park, Wild Waves. This fine example of Wild Coast accommodation caters to a wide variety of different people, from tourists, to local day visitors, conference delegates and those just passing through.

The stamps and the FDC were issued on 25.5.1983 as part of the Tourism drive in Transkei. The 10c stamp depicts the Hotel Complex at Mzamba. The 20c stamp shows the Beach Scene at Mzamba. The 25c stamp shows people at the Casino in Mzamba and finally the 40c stamp shows the Carousel at Mzamba. All together there's lots of fun - the Good Life.

Thanks Maria. Expect visitors soon.

Luxembourg pavilion at the Bruxelles Expo in 1958

Further to my post of 20.5.2014 here’s another look at the World Expo at Bruxelles in 1958. Yhis fdc is about the Luxembourg pavilion at the Expo.

Luxembourg’s pavilion theme states”Small is beautiful too”. It illustrates the country’s population and geographical reality (500,000 inhabitants on a 2586 sq km surface) and is at the same time relating to the general theme of the World Expo “Better city better life” representing the wish of humankind for a better living in future urban environments.

The”Golden Lady”  as a symbol for universal peace is gracing the pavilion entrance on a 3 m high pedestrial.

To embrace the powerful pavilion architecture  and allow for easy visitor flow, French communication agency “Auditoire” developed an exhibition concept based on media and colour coding to introduce the diversity of Luxembourg country, economy and people.

Thank you Maria.

Silver wedding anniversary of Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik of Denmark

This stamp was issued on 10.6.1992 by Greenland to commemorate the Silver wedding anniversary of Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik of Denmark.

Margrethe Alexandrine Þorhildur Ingrid, Her Majesty The Queen, became Queen of Denmark in 1972. Margrethe II was born on 16 April 1940 at Amalienborg Palace as the daughter of King Frederik IX (d. 1972) and Queen Ingrid, born Princess of Sweden (d. 2000). The Queen’s motto is "God’s help, the love of The People, Denmark’s strength".

The Act of Succession of 27 March 1953 gave women the right of succession to the Danish throne but only secondarily. On the occasion of her accession to the throne on 14

January 1972, HM Queen Margrethe II became the first Danish Sovereign under the new Act of Succession.

On 10 June 1967, the Heir Apparent married Henri Marie Jean André, Count of Laborde deMonpezat, who in connection with the marriage became HRH Prince Henrik of Denmark. The wedding ceremony took place in Holmens Kirke, and the wedding festivities were held at Fredensborg Palace.

Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark (born 11 June 1934), is the husband of the Queen of Denmark, Margrethe II. Henrik married the then heiress apparent to the Danish throne Margrethe at the Naval Church of Copenhagen on 10 June 1967. At the time of the wedding his name was Danicised to Henrik and he was created HRH Prince Henrik of Denmark. Before the wedding, the Prince converted to Protestantism.

The couple has two sons; Crown Prince Frederik (born 1968) and Prince Joachim (born 1969). Henrik became Prince Consort when his wife succeeded her father, King Frederick IX, to the throne on 14 January 1972.

Thank you Merja.

50th Anniversary of the National Cancer Association of South Africa

This first day cover was issued on the 50^th Anniversary of the National Cancer Association of South Africa on 10.7.1981.

The Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) is a community-driven and volunteer-based organization that has been fighting cancer to save lives for the past 77 years. Started in 1931 by a group of medical professional concerned about the high incidence of cancer, CANSA has grown to become one of the leading cancer NGOs in the country with 45 offices around the country and more than 12 000 volunteers and 260 staff members. With 7 provincial offices and 32 regional offices around the country, CANSA has the infrastructure to reach many South Africans in all communities. The association’s mission is to substantially reduce the impact of cancer by promoting health in all communities within South Africa, through advocacy and the sustainable facilitation of research, prevention, early detection and care. CANSA offers the following comprehensive support programs for child and adult clients and their families in all South African communities: counseling/support groups, interim homes/day-care centers, assistive devices, and home-based care. Some of CANSA’s programs are directly linked to monthly health campaigns. Preventative health services also include the CANSA Healthy Living Schools Programme also known as the Toktokkie/Tap-tap show.

Thank you Maria.

Expo 58 - Brussels World’s Fair 12.4.1958

Expo 58, also known as the Brussels World’s Fair (Exposition Universelle et Internationale de Bruxelles), was held from 17 April to 19 October 1958. It was the first major World's Fair after World War II.

The site is best known for the Atomium, a giant model of a unit cell of an iron crystal (each sphere representing an atom). More than 41 million visitors visited the site, which was opened with a call for world peace and social and economic progress, issued by King Baudouin I.

Notable exhibitions include the Philips Pavilion, where ”Poeme electronique”, commissioned specifically for the location, was played back from 425 loudspeakers, placed at specific points as designed by Iakisannis Xen, and Le Corbusier. 

Another exhibition was the Congolese village that was on display. The city of Paris had its own pavilion, separate from the French one. The stamp on this cover features the official French pavilion at the EXPO.

This could really be called an Expo of Lights. Pavilions like France, U.S.S.R. and U.S.A. glowed from inside out like big lit-up boxes of blocks.

Thank you Maria.

10th Anniversary of The Nordic House - The Torshavn Folk Music and Jazz Festival.

The Nordic House is the most important cultural institution in the Faroe Islands. Its aim is to support and promote Nordic and Faroese culture, locally and in the Nordic region.

Erlendur Patursson (1913-1986), Faroese member of the Nordic Council, brought forward the idea of a Nordic cultural house in the Faroe Islands. A Nordic competition for architects was held in 1977, where 158 architects participated. Winners were Ola Steen from Norway and Kollbrún Ragnarsdóttir from Iceland. By staying true to folklore the architects built the Nordic House to resemble an enchanting hill of elves. The building is considered to be one of the most beautiful in Scandinavia. The house opened in Tórshavn in 1983.

The Nordic House is organized as a cultural organization under the Nordic Council of Ministers. The Nordic House is run by a steering committee of 8, of which 3 are Faroese and 5 from the outside Nordic countries. Also there is a local advisory body of 15 members, representing the Faroese cultural organizations. For a 4-year period, the steering committee appoints a director of the house.

The stamp on this fdc is one of a set of three issued to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of The Nordic House, Torshavn on 8.2.1993. The three stamps of this set are about The Torshavn Folk Music and Jazz Festival. 

Thank you Merja.

Reindeer and the Sleigh

The stamp on this fdc is one of three definitives. This one depicts the drawing of Jens Wurtzmann who is also acknowledged on the postmark. The drawing is titled Reindeer and the Sleigh.

The stamp was designed by  Jens Christian Rosing (July 28, 1925 – May 24, 2008), who was a Greenlandic artist notable for designing the coat of arms of Greenland, many Greenlandic postage stamps, as well as illustrated children's books and water colours. Rosing was known as the number one stamp designer for Greenland. Throughout his 50 year career, Rosing produced 130 stamp designs, and his first design was produced in the 1950s. The first design was a commemorative stamp for Greenland. It had a scene featured on it from the Mother of the Sea. There are two versions of the stamp. The first stamp was printed in 1957 in a green-blue colour. The reprint was in 1961, in just a blue colour.

All Greenlandic stamps were printed in only one colour until the 1980s. Beginning in 1985, stamps became printed in offset, or in a combination of offset and recess-type printing. The later versions are brighter. However, they fail to show the appearance of the one colour recess printing stamps.

Thank you Merja.

International Year of the Child.

UNESCO proclaimed 1979 as the International Year of the Child. The proclamation was signed on January 1, 1979 by United Nations Secretary General Kurt Waldheim. A follow-up to the 1959 Declaration of the Rights of the Child, the proclamation was intended to draw attention to problems that affected children throughout the world, including malnutrition and lack of access to education. Many of these efforts resulted in the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989.

Numerous events took place within the UN and in member countries to mark the event, including the Music for UNICEF Concert, held at the UN General Assembly on January 9. WBZ-TV 4 in Boston, Massachusetts, along with the four other Group W stations, hosted and broadcast a celebratory festival, "Kidsfair" (usually held around Labor Day ever since) from Boston Common. Canadian animator/director Eugene Fedorenko created a film for the National Film Board of Canada, called "Every Child", which centered around a nameless baby who nobody wants because they're too busy with their own concerns. This was used to explain the importance of how every child is entitled to a home. Sound effects were created with the voices of Les Mimes Electriques.

The stamp on this beautiful cover is part of a three stamp set of children’s drawings issued by the Faroe Islands on 1.10.1979 to commemorate the International Year of the Child.

Thank you Merja.

150th Anniversary of The National Museum of Denmark.

The National Museum of Denmark (Nationalmuseet) in Copenhagen is Denmark’s largest museum of cultural history, comprising the histories of Danish and foreign cultures, alike. The museum's main domicile is located a short distance from Strøget at the center of Copenhagen. It contains exhibits from around the world, from Greenland to South America. Additionally, the museum sponsors SILA - The Greenland Research Centre at the National Museum of Denmark to further archaeological and anthropological research in Greenland.

The museum has a number of national commitments, particularly within the following key areas: archaeology, ethnology, numismatics, ethnography, natural science, conservation, communication, building antiquarian activities in connection with the churches of Denmark as well as the handling of the Danefæ (the National Treasures).

These two stamps showing the Museum Building and one of the very important exhibits in the museum namely, the Sun Chariot. The stamps were issued to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of The National Museum of Denmark. A very impressive postmark adorns this first day cover as well.

The Trundholm sun chariot, is a late Nordic Bronze Age artifact discovered in Denmark. It is a representation of the sun chariot, a bronze statue of a horse and a large bronze disk, which are placed on a device with spoked wheels.

The sculpture was discovered with no accompanying objects in 1902 in a peat bog on the Trundholm moor in West Zealand County on the northwest coast of the island of Zealand (Sjælland) in Denmark, in a region known as Odsherred (approximately 55°55′N 11°37′E). It is now in the collection of the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen.

50 Years of the Scouting movement in Greenland

The stamp on this first day cover issued by Greenland commemorates 50 Years of the Scouting movement in Greenland on 17.6.1993. Scouting in Greenland is part of Danish Scout Council.

Thank you Merja.

The Public and National Library of Greenland

The Public and National Library of Greenland is the public and national library of Greenland, located in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. It is the largest reference library in the country, devoted to the preservation of national cultural heritage and history.

This library celebrated its 150^th Anniversary on 29^th May 1980. The stamp on this FDC was issued to commemorate this important occasion.

Thank you Merja.

Agriculture in Bophuthatswana 25.10.1979

Bobhuthatswana issued these four stamps to highlight the importance of Agriculture produce in the life of that erstwhile independent state. The stamps were released on 25.10.1979. The stamps depict Cattle breeding (5c), Cotton picking (a5c), Research in agriculture (20c) and Fishing industry (25c).

Thank you Maria.

King Frederick IX of Denmark

This definitive stamp issued by Greenland has the portrait of The Head of State namely, King Frederick IX of Denmark. It was issued on 1.12.1953.

Frederick IX (Christian Frederik Franz Michael Carl Valdemar Georg) (11 March 1899 – 14 January 1972) was King of the Kingdom of Denmark from 20 April 1947 until his death on 14 January 1972.

He was the son of King Christian X of Denmark and Queen Alexandrine, born Duchess of Mecklenburg, and the fourth Danish monarch of the House of Glücksburg.

Thank you Merja.

FIFA World Cup Soccer 1994 in the USA 26.5.1994

For one action-packed month millions of viewers around the globe tuned in to the world’s most popular sporting event as twenty-four teams vied for the championship. Sponsored by the Federation Internationale de Football Association(FIFA), the World Cup is soccer’s most famous and spectacular international competition.

Proposed by Frenchman Jules Rimet, the first World Cup was held in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1930. Since then the competition has been held every four years, except during World War II. Qualifying rounds held two years prior to the event determine which twenty-two teams will join the host nation and the defending champion. Unlike Olympic soccer however, World Cup teams are not limited to amateur players.

For the first time in the World Cup’s 64-year history, the event was held in the United States in 1994 and to honour the occasion the Postal Service issued three commemorative stamps, namely 29¢, 40¢, and 50¢. Various denominations made mailing letters home easier for the international athletes, coaches, and officials. A souvenir sheet was also issued. Although the 1983 airmail stamp issued for the ’84 Olympics featured a soccer player, this was the first time stamps had been issued to specifically honour the sport of soccer.  

Thank you Merja.

Songs and Dances

The stamp on this pretty cover is one of four issued by the Faeroe Islands on 27.9.1982 to highlight the various multi-faceted traditional songs and dances of these lovely islands. The cover has a painting by Zacharias Heinesen (born 1936 in Tórshavn),  a Faroese landscape painter. He was the son of the writer William Heinesen. He attended Myndlistaskóli Íslands in Reykjavik between 1957-58. In 1959-1963 he attended the Royal Danish Academy of Art in Copenhagen. Through the years he has held a number of exhibitions and his paintings are to be found in several museums. In 1986 he was awarded the Henry Heerup prize. His paintings were featured on a series of stamps in June 2001.

Thank you Merja.

Faroe Island Definitives.

These stamps are part of a 5 stamp set of definitives issued by the Faroes in 1981. Music is the theme on this stamp. The cover is appropriately expressive of the theme on the stamp too.

Thank you Merja.