Ninth Non-Aligned Summit at Belgrade in Yugoslavia in 1989 4.9.1989

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is a group of states which are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc.  

The organization was founded in Belgrade in 1961, and was largely conceived by India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru; Indonesia's first president, Sukarno; Egypt's second president, Gamal Abdel Nasser; Ghana's first president Kwame Nkrumah; and Yugoslavia's president, Josip Broz Tito. All five leaders were prominent advocates of a middle course for states in the Developing World between the Western and Eastern Blocs in the Cold War. The phrase itself was first used to represent the doctrine by Indian diplomat V. K. Krishna Menon in 1953, at the United Nations.

Thank you Merja.

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE or ECE) 12.4.1967

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE or ECE) was established in 1947 to encourage economic cooperation among its member states. It is one of five regional commissions under the administrative direction of United Nations headquarters. It has 56 member states, and reports to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Besides countries in Europe, it also includes Canada, the Central Asian republics, Israel and the United States of America. The UNECE secretariat headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland, and has an approximate budget of US$50 million.

10th Anniversary of Helsinki Accords 19.6.1985

The swallow stamp issued in 1985 looks similar to the stamp issued in 30.7.1975. Values of the stamps differ. In 1975 the stamp celebrated the Conference on Security and co-operation in Europe and the Helsinki Accords were ennunciated. The Finnish stamp of 1985 celebrates the 10^th Anniversary of Helsinki Accords.  On both stamps you can see Finlandia House and a swallow.

1960 – The Year of the Refugee 7.4.1960

The famous Raphael's fresco in the Vatican, Fire in the Borgo, which depicts a scene, showing Aeneas carrying his father with his son beside them. The inspiration for the work was the Aeneid, an epic Latin poem which told the life of Aeneas, a Trojan who left his home city and eventually ended up in Italy, where he was a progenitor of Rome. The precise scene depicts the moment that Aeneas carries his father, the elderly Anchises, and his son Ascancius from Troy, after it has been sacked by the Greek army. In his hand, Anchises carries a vessel with his ancestors' ashes, on the top of which are two tiny statues of Di Penates, Roman household gods.

This fresco by Raphael is portrayed on the two stamps issued by Italy in 1960 – The Year of the Refugee.

World Refugee Year was officially launched on 28 June 1959. The idea was initiated by the United Kingdom and approved by the General Assembly in a resolution adopted on 5 December 1958. The basic idea of World Refugee Year was that a special purely humanitarian effort should be made to bring refugee problems nearer to a solution.  

The International Fleet Review (IFR) 2016 at Vizag- Bridges of Friendship 6.2.2016

This lovely First Day Cover commemorating The 2nd International Fleet Review (IFR)  was given to me by my Dear friend Commodore Bibhu Mohanti.

A Naval Fleet review is a ceremonial and stately inspection of the Naval Warships by the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, the Honourable President. The last International Fleet Review held off Mumbai in 2001.

The International Fleet Review (IFR) 2016 was conducted at Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh from February 5 to February 8, 2016. It was an International Military Exercise hosted and conducted by Indian Navy on behalf of the President of India. It's objective was to enhance mutual trust and confidence with neighbouring navies by inviting their ships to participate in the event. Indian Navy took this opportunity to display display its maritime capabilities. The last International Fleet Review by Indian Navy was conducted in January 2001 at Mumbai.

54 countries participated in IFR2016. Ships included 24 warships from foreign countries, 24 foreign Naval chiefs, and 90 foreign delegates.  

The Vizag International Fleet Review 2016 opening ceremony was done by the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri Chandrababu Naidu on February 4, 2016. The special celebrities who attend the event were President Pranab Mukherjee, Governor E.S.L Narasimhan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shri Manohar Parikkar, Raksha Mantri.

1977 Belgrade Conference 4.10.1977

The Helsinki Accords, Helsinki Final Act, or Helsinki Declaration was the final act of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe held in Helsinki, Finland, during July and August 1, 1975. Thirty-five states, including the USA, Canada, and most European states except Albania and Andorra, signed the declaration in an attempt to improve relations between the Communist bloc and the West. The Helsinki Accords, however, were not binding as they did not have treaty status. (Please see my post of 29 July 2013).

The concepts of improving relations and implementing the act were developed over a series of follow-up meetings, with major gatherings in Belgrade (4 October 1977 – 8 March 1978), Madrid (11 November 1980 – 9 September 1983) and Vienna (4 November 1986 – 19 January 1989).

This First Day Cover was issued by Hungary with the special miniature sheet on the FDC to commemorate the Belgrade Conference.

Thank you Merja.

World Environment Day 4.6.1993

World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated every year on 5 June to raise global awareness to take positive environmental action to protect nature and the planet Earth. It is run by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

International Year of Peace 22.10.1986

International Year of Disabled Persons 16.9.1981

In 1976, the General Assembly proclaimed 1981 as the International Year of Disabled Persons (IYDP). It called for a plan of action at the national, regional and international levels, with an emphasis on equalization of opportunities, rehabilitation and prevention of disabilities.

In 1981, the International Year of Disabled Persons had a profound effect on raising awareness of disability in Australia and its place the human services agenda. For the first time in Australia, national information was collected through a survey of handicapped persons by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.The survey identified the number of people with disability, the nature of their disability, the services they needed and the extent to which these needs were being met. While it may now appear relatively unsophisticated, this survey was firm evidence that a national approach to meeting the needs of people with disability was slowly developing.

Displayed is the 1981 International Year Of Disabled Persons FDC with the commamorative stamp bearing the "Break Down The Barriers"Cachet”.

Thank you Maria.

Rotary International Pacific Regional Conference 26.11.1981

Rotary Pacific Conference was held at the Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne, between 26 and 29 November 1981.

More than 5,000 Rotarians from around the Pacific attended the conference in Melbourne to discuss 'The Future of the Pacific Region'. Speakers included the Honourable Malcolm Fraser, Rotary International President Stan McCaffrey, President Elect Horoji Mukasa, Ranald McDonald, representing the media, Sir Ian McLennon, representing industry, Japanese former Ambassador Nobuhiko Ushiba and Philippines Deputy Consul General Mrs Minerva Falcon, both representing diplomatic services, as well as other Rotarians.

Thank you Maria.

Denmark 7.4.1988 - WHO 40 Years

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.

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.

200 Years of bonds between the United States and the Netherlands 20.4.1982

In 1782 John Adams, later to become second President of the United States, was America's first Minister Plenipotentiary to Holland. In the same year came formal recognition by the Netherlands of the United States as a separate and independent nation, along with badly needed financial help that indicated faith in its future.

These loans from Friesland and the United Provinces, which have been called "the Marshall plan in reverse" were the first the new government received.

For more than 200 years the bonds between the United States and the Netherlands have remained strong. Our diplomatic ties constitute one of the longest unbroken diplomatic relationships with any foreign country. These Dutch stamps on First day cover commemorates that very Anniversary.

Whereas, 225 years ago, on the 19th of April, 1782 in the City of the Hague, the Ambassadorial credentials of John Adams were officially recognized by Prince William V of Orange and the States-General, thus establishing formal diplomatic ties between the new government of the United States and the Republic of the Netherlands. Whereas the historical ties between the Dutch and American people go back nearly 200 years earlier to the period when the Pilgrims resided for almost 11 years in the Netherlands before sailing to the new world, the diplomatic ties between the governments of the United States and the Netherlands are the longest continuous ties between the United States and any country of the world.

Thank you Maria for this nice FDC.

International Geophysical Year 31.5.1958

This is a International Geophysical Year 1958 First Year Issue Stamp. It is postmarked May 31st, 1958 from Chicago, Illinois.

U.S. 1958 3¢ International Geophysical Year stamp design was based on a photograph of the Sun, taken during the International Geophysical Year, an international scientific project. During the 18 months of the project, the Sun gave off tremendous bursts of energy – an event that was observed by project members during the study. That was just one of the highlights during project’s time. Others included the launching of Sputnik I, the first man-made satellite sent into orbit around the Earth. The U.S. soon followed with the Explorer I satellite – the country’s first successful launch.

Also shown on this stamp is part of Michelangelo’s famous painting, “The Creation of Adam,” located on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. The rest of the image shows God breathing life into Adam. The stamp shows the portion of the mural where God’s hand reaches out to touch Adam’s hand – with a tiny space in between. It was described by Ervine Metzl, the stamp’s designer, as an attempt to “picture man’s wonder at the unknown, together with his determination to understand it and his spiritual inspiration to further his knowledge.”

The International Geophysical Year (IGY) was an international scientific project that lasted from July 1, 1957, to December 31, 1958. It marked the end of a long period during the Cold War when scientific interchange between East and West had been seriously interrupted. Joseph Stalin's death in 1953 opened the way for this new era of collaboration. Sixty-seven countries participated in IGY projects, although one notable exception was mainland China, which was protesting against the participation of the Republic of China (Taiwan). East and West agreed to nominate the Belgian Marcel Nicolet as secretary general of the associated international organization. Other significant achievements of the IGY included the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belts and the discovery of mid-ocean submarine ridges, an important confirmation of plate tectonics. Also detected was the rare occurrence of hard solar corpuscular radiation that could be highly dangerous for manned space flight.

The IGY encompassed eleven Earth sciences: aurora and airglow, cosmic rays, geomagnetism, gravity, ionosphericphysics, longitude and latitude determinations (precision mapping), meteorology, oceanography, seismology, and solar activity.

Thank you Merja.

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.

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.

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.

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.