With the 'Smurfs' issue, the Belgian postal service highlighted the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in 2025. In 2015 (ten years ago), the Sustainable Development Goals were established by the United Nations as the new global sustainable development agenda for 2030....
On February 9, the Rabbit made way for the Dragon in the Chinese Lunar Calendar. Since then, 36 countries have already featured the Dragon, according to an update from Bitter Grounds Magazine. These are: Åland, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus,...
The International Court of Justice (French: Cour internationale de justice; English: International Court of Justice) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. The court deals with legal disputes between states. It consists of 15 judges who are elected by...
On June 21, 2020, Miffy turned 65. Dick Bruna is the creator of the little rabbit, who later became known worldwide through her adventures with her friends. It is a simple depiction of a rabbit, but an ironclad...
Italy was the first European country where COVID-19 infections were detected. COVID-19 was rampant in the winter sports areas of Northern Italy. Fortunately, Italy's borders are now open again to Schengen countries. The 24th blog is an ode to Italy....
For several years in a row, the view prevailed within the Dutch postal service starting in 1995 that, in addition to figurative picture stamps, typographic stamps should also be designed. Before I discuss these text or word stamps, a further specification of stamp types in the Netherlands is in order. Stamp types: figurative...
Ping pong receives extra attention every year on April 6 during 'World Table Tennis Day'. Established in 2015 by the global table tennis federation ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation). After all, every day is a table tennis day in company canteens and at...
The 'International Day of Happiness' is celebrated worldwide annually on March 20. Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012. On this day, the 'happiest country in the world' is announced in the World...
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the ILO, the International Labour Organization, many countries issued one or more stamps. The ILO is a specialized organization of the United Nations that deals primarily with labour issues. The ILO is...
The fact that the Belgian Postal Service issued a series of ten stamps for 'ordinary mail' to finance the United Nations pavilion at Expo 58 in Brussels and several other international organizations was still there...
During the World Exhibition Expo 58 in Brussels, the Belgian Postal Service issued a series of 16 stamps for the United Nations. The issue was intended to co-finance the International Organizations pavilion at...
The organization behind Floraliën Ghent, the Royal Society for Agriculture and Botany (KMLP), has existed for more than 200 years. The society owes its royal title to King William I, King of the Netherlands, who accepted the title of patron in 1815....
The United Nations had declared the period from June 1959 through the summer of 1960 the Year of the World Refugee. More than 70 countries heeded the UN's call to issue one or more stamps on April 7, 1960...
Whatever your opinion on this major problem, one thing is certain: most refugees are not to be envied. Out of necessity, they have left their homes and everything they held dear behind. Hard to imagine, especially if...
In 1980, stamp collectors all over the world were flooded with stamps warning against smoking tobacco. The images were often gruesome, with skulls being common, usually with a cigarette between the teeth. But also images with degraded...
A truly strange stamp issue took place on January 15, 1960, by the postal service of Suriname. A series consisting of four surcharge stamps featuring images relating to 'indigenous folk art'. The stamp catalog states: sold up to and including...
* " indicates required fields
