Hans Nielsen Hauge 27.4.1971

Hans Nielsen Hauge (April 3, 1771 – March 29, 1824) was a noted revivalist Norwegian lay minister who spoke up against the Church establishment in Norway. Hauge is considered an influential personality in the industrialization of Norway.
Thank you Merja.

50th Anniversary of Citizens' Consultative Committees 24.10.2015

400 Years of The Carlos de Amberes Foundation 24.4.1994

Stamp depicts 'The Martyrdom of St Andrew' by Rubens.

The Carlos de Amberes Foundation, located in the Salamanca district, is a non-profit, private institution. It was created at the wish of a Dutchman who, in 1594, came to Madrid with his entire fortune to create this institution, which, four hundred years later, is still fully active. The Carlos de Amberes Foundation, is the realization of the wish of a Flemish man whom donated all his fortune to the city of Madrid in order to create this institution, which 400 years thereafter it is fully active. Bolstered by a reorganisation of its original purpose (a hospital for pilgrims), the Carlos de Amberes Foundatio is ready to enter into the 21st Century, dedicated to safekeeping the historical ties among the territories that once belonged to the Spanish Crown in the 16th and 17th Centuries. The Foundation cooperates via all sorts of cultural, political and scientific initiatives with those countries -Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg and northern France- in the adventure of building a common space: a united Europe.

Among others the Foundation is composed of: His Majesty King Juan Carlos, the Belgian Ambassador to Madrid, the President of the Community of Madrid, the Mayor of Madrid, the Head of His Majesty's Office, the President of the Association of Friends of the "Foundation Carlos de Amberes" in Belgium, the Ambassador of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to Madrid, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of The Netherlands to Madrid, the President of the Council of State, the Director General of the Spanish Heritage at the Council of Europe, the President of the Spanish Olympic Committee, the Director of the Prado Museum and the Manager of the Royal Tapestry Factory and representatives of Spanish and Benelux institutions and companies.

Melkonian school in Nicosia 2.4.2015

Symbolically, the pair of stamps with identical designs, depict the Melkonian school in Nicosia that originated as an orphanage in 1926 to shelter some 500 young survivors of the massacres. 

The Cyprus Post stamp, with a value of 64 cents, shows the historic school buildings with cypress saplings planted by the first orphans that have since blossomed and are as tall as nearby buildings along the main arterial Limassol Avenue.  

Spirit of Giving - Volunteerism and Philanthropy

Volunteerism and Philanthropy have always been considered altruistic activities, intended to promote good or improve human quality of life, with the former done out of free will without motivation by financial or material gain. The latter being the act of donating money to support a socially beneficial cause, with a defined objective and with no financial or material reward to the donor.

Showcasing the art pieces of children on what and how they feel about the "Spirit of Giving", capturing the innocence, pure and true qualities of a child, an art competition was organized in 2010 by the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre, and the winning entries as well as the artworks of the winners are featured in this set of stamps.

In this competition, the children of age below 12 years old were challenged with how they feel about Volunteerism, and what makes Volunteerism the connector to the hearts of Singaporeans.

The Peace Corps 11.2.1972

The Peace Corps was proposed by John F. Kennedy and founded in 1961, thegoals of the Peace Corps are simple: "To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women. To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the people served. To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans." By 1972, the number of volunteers had reached 50,000.

The stamp on this cover issued on 11.2.1972 and released at Washington, DC, to commemorate the Peace Corps.

Thank you Merja.

The New Social Insurance Scheme 12.4.1965

Merja sent me this nice FDC with three stamps issued on 12.4.1965 to commemorate The New Social Insurance Scheme which covered compulsorily every person gainfully occupied in Cyprus either as an employed person or as a self-employed person. Persons working abroad in the service of Cypriot employers and persons who interrupt their compulsory insurance are allowed, under certain conditions, to be insured voluntarily. The insured persons are classified in three categories; employed persons, self-employed persons and voluntary contributors.

The Scheme was financed by contributions payable by the employers, the insured persons and the State. The Scheme provides cash benefits for marriage, maternity, sickness, unemployment, widowhood, invalidity, orphan-hood, old age, death and employment injury. The Scheme provides also free medical treatment for persons receiving invalidity pension and for employed persons who sustain injuries as a result or an employment accident or an occupational disease.

Adamantios Diamantis (b Nicosia, 23 Jan 1900; d Nicosia, 28 April 1994). Who’s painting is portrayed on the 75M stamp and also depicted on the cover was a Cypriot painter and teacher. From 1921 to 1923 he studied painting at the Royal College of Art in London, and in 1926 he returned to Cyprus, where he combined his painting with extensive art teaching at numerous schools. His earlier works show a certain amount of experimentation with modernist styles, particularly Cubism, but he was also concerned with the rendering of the human form as he observed it in the villages of Cyprus. At the Festival of Our Lady of Araka showed his characteristically monumental and schematized female forms constructed of broad unified surfaces of colour with a similarly schematized but atmospheric landscape in the background. Diamantis had a major influence on succeeding generations of Cypriot artists.

Frans Peter von Knorring 2.3.1992

Frans Peter von Knorring, (6 October 1792, Kokemäki - 29 March 1875) was a social reformer on the Åland Islands. He studied at Åbo Akademi University, worked as a teacher of religion at the Cadet School in Hamina and as a vicar from on 1834 in Finström. He suggested that a city should be founded on Åland, gave historical overviews and a meritorious work on public education. He is considered as the father of Åland school system. He was the vicar of Finström from 1834 to 1875 and he organized the educational system in Åland. He started an elementary school at Godby in 1853. The school's syllabus included subjects related to farming. A versatile man who published books on many subjects, such as linguistics, geography, pedagogy and economics, he also founded the first newspaper on Åland in 1868. Two statues have been raised in his honour, one in Mariehamn and one at the church of Finström. My friend Pia sent me this FDC.

Canada - Carrie M. Best

This nice FDC was sent to me by Guy Dorval.

USA - Martin Luther King, Jr13.1.1979

These stamps and the First day cover were issued on 13.01.1979 to commemorate the 50th Birth Anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968), who was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African American civil rights movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. King is often presented as a heroic leader in the history of modern American liberalism. A Baptist minister, King became a civil rights activist early in his career. He led the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott and helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957, serving as its first president. King's efforts led to the 1963 March on Washington, where King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. There, he expanded American values to include the vision of a color blind society, and established his reputation as one of the greatest orators in American history. In 1964, King became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end racial segregation and racial discrimination through civil disobedience and other nonviolent means. By the time of his death in 1968, he had refocused his efforts on ending poverty and stopping the Vietnam War. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977 and Congressional Gold Medal in 2004; Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was established as a U.S. federal holiday in 1986.

USA - Adopting a Child 10.5.2000

Giving a child with no hope a New and Glorious World of Hope is something really charitable.