South Georgia Penguins

Georgia post issued a set of stamps showing Penguins of South Georgia. The penguins featured are King Penguin, Macaroni Penguin, Chinstrap Penguin and Gentoo Penguin.

The island of South Georgia is located in a unique position; right in the path of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. This current is a continuous cold, oceanic flow, moving from west to east, around the Antarctic continent, driven by strong westerly winds. Acting like a food conveyor belt, the current delivers a constant supply of cold, nutrient rich water, laden with Antarctic krill to the waters surrounding the island. As a result South Georgia is teeming with marine life, including a total breeding population of over 6 million penguins!

Penguins are exceedingly charismatic, flightless birds, and are wide ranging in the cooler climes of the southern hemisphere. The greatest concentrations of penguins are to be found in the Antarctic and Subantarctic, and almost every subantarctic island is a breeding site for at least one penguin species. Extremely well adapted to their pelagic lives, penguins are excellent divers and fast, agile swimmers, on account of their streamlined bodies and powerful wings or flippers for propulsion. They are truly formidable predators.

King Penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus)
The second largest of all penguins, the king penguin is a striking bird; with bright orange flashes around its head and beak, it truly deserves its regal name. King penguins are excellent divers reaching depths of up to 300m during their week-long foraging trips, hunting for fish and occasionally squid.

King penguins are an abundant species, with an estimated population of two million breeding pairs, thought to be increasing. South Georgia is an important breeding location for the king penguin, being home to nearly 25% of the world population.

Macaroni Penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus)
Due to their distinctive yellow tufts, these penguins were named after the peculiar ‘Macaroni coiffure’ hairstyles of 18th century Dandies. Feeding predominantly on Antarctic krill, the macaronis spend their winters at sea, only returning to land in the spring to breed and later moult.

With an estimated 18 million individuals, .the macaroni is the most abundant of all the penguins, although the population is thought to be in decline.

Chinstrap Penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica)
Named after the characteristic black ‘strap’ that runs under their beaks, the chinstrap penguins are unmistakeable. Unlike the other penguins, chinstraps often forage at night while their crustacean prey is closer to the surface and so easier to reach.

This species generally occupies the more southerly subantarctic islands; with the majority of the population, around 5 million pairs, breeding on the South Sandwich Islands.

Gentoo Penguin (Pygoscelis papua)
Gentoo penguins are the third largest penguin species, and also boast the largest tails of all! They are generalist predators, feeding on a mixture of crustaceans and fish. Gentoos are very dependent on land, returning to the beach each night. As a result they must forage coastally, rarely venturing more than 12 miles offshore, making them very vulnerable to local variations in food availability.

The gentoo is one of the least abundant Antarctic penguins, with only 300,000 pairs worldwide.

Title: South Georgia Penguins
Date of Issue: 25 October 2010
Country: South Georgia

65th anniversary of UNO

The Ministry of Communications and Information of the Republic of Belarus issued a stamp “65th anniversary of UNO”.


Title: 65th anniversary of UNO
Date of Issue: 24 October 2010
Country: Belarus
Denominations: 1000 BYR

Madonna and Child – Canada

Canada post will issue a stamp of the Madonna and Child just in time for the holiday season. The first images of the Madonna and Child are found in the catacombs of Rome, and the tradition of Madonna art flourished in Europe during the Renaissance.

Inspired by this tradition, Canadian artists have produced spectacular representations of this sacred scene, many of which have been featured on Christmas stamps—traditional paintings (2006), wood icons (1988), and stained glass (1997), to name a few.

This stamp features a sculpture created by Italian-Canadian sculptor Antonio Caruso, whose artworks are found in private collections, museums, cathedrals and churches in North America and Europe. “We featured some of Caruso’s miniature wood prototypes on our 2008 and 2009 Christmas stamps, and since his fascinating body of work extends well beyond that series, we wanted to showcase something else,” says Alain Leduc, Manager of Stamp Design and Production at Canada Post. “We were drawn to this particular 2-foot-tall sculpture of the Madonna and Child.”

Title: Madonna and Child – Canada
Date of Issue: 1 November 2010
Country: Canada
Denominations: Permanent

Christmas Ornaments

Canada post will issue a set of stamps featuring glass ornament, the inviting icons of holiday joy having a special place in Christmas celebrations.

The enchanting history of the glass ornament is rooted in our tree-decking tradition. Long before lights, tinsel and baubles, Christmas trees were trimmed with fruit, nuts, popcorn, candles, and all manner of baked goods. Small toys and candies were also hung from the boughs of evergreens, to be claimed by children on Christmas morning.

Modern-day tree decorations came into being in 1847, when the town of Lauscha, Germany, already famous for its glassblowing, began producing glass ornaments in the shapes of fruit and nuts. American five-and-dime store magnate and pioneer mass merchandiser F.W. Woolworth discovered these glass gems while on visit to Germany during the 1880s and made a fortune by importing them to the U.S. Lauscha remained the main ornament supplier for the North American market until the popularity of these tree decoration prompted their commercial production around the world. More than 150 years since they were first produced, tree ornaments are a treasured part of our Christmas celebrations and inviting icons of holiday cheer.

Title: Christmas Ornaments
Date of Issue: 1 November 2010
Country: Canada
Denominations: Permanent, $1.00, $1.70

Spain Football WorldCup 2010 Champion

The Spanish football team has won, for the first time in history, the World Football Cup. Spain post issued a souvenir sheet depicting a snapshot of the winning team and the coveted trophy.

After a long month of competition, the 19th edition of the FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010 closed its doors on 11 July, with the triumph of the Spanish team against the Netherlands. Both teams played the final match at the Johannesburg Stadium where, in the second half of the extra-time, the Spanish team beat the Netherlands 1-0 and is now part of the annals of the history of world sport.

The success of the Spanish team has become one of the most widespread news by the international media and the final match was watched by millions of spectators around the world. The Spanish team wears the star of the world champions which has become a symbol of identity placing Spanish football at the highest level.

Title: Spain Football WorldCup 2010 Champion
Date of Issue: 21 October 2010
Country: Spain
Denominations: 2 €

National Philatelic Exhibition EXFILNA 2010

Spanish post issued a souvenir sheet, devoted to the different printing techniques as a part of the EXFILNA 2010.

It commemorates the anniversaries of four emblematic issues stamped with four different printing techniques: 140 years of the Midwife in typography, the 80 years of Goya’s Naked Maja in intaglio; the 70th anniversary of El Cid in lithography, and finally the King’s 35 years in photogravure.

Madrid hosts the XLVIII edition of the National Philatelic Exhibition EXFILNA 2010. On this occasion, the Royal Mint is the venue which brings together the major stamp collectors of Spain and France attending this year’s edition with nearly 700 frames. In the exhibition area of the Royal Mint besides the Correos booth, there will also be nearly 17 stands for dealers on two floors. This edition of EXFILNA will coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Madrid SOFIMA Philatelic Society, formerly known as the Madrid Philatelic Circle, founded in 1897.

The 48th edition of EXFILNA takes place from 17 to 24 October, and during these days, exhibition tours, book presentations, conferences, gatherings and other activities will be held around this important philatelic event. Madrid, host city of the National Philatelic Exhibition, once again welcomes all who visit. In this open, modern city, open and cosmopolitan nobody feels foreign. In Madrid, culture, leisure and philately come together this autumn, an ideal season to visit this friendly and attractive city.

Title: National Philatelic Exhibition EXFILNA 2010
Date of Issue: 18 October 2010
Country: Spain
Denominations: 2,49 €

Spain-Turkey Joint Issue – Alliance of Civilizations

Spain jointly with Turkey issued a set of stamps titled “Alliance of Civilizations”‘ the international community to bridge the gap between Islamic and Western societies.

On July 14th 2005, the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan announced the “Alliance of Civilizations” as an initiative aimed at promoting the commitment of the international community to bridge the gap between Islamic and Western societies. The project aims at involving society, both institutionally and civically, in the effort to build bridges to overcome prejudice, misperceptions and polarization that could threaten world peace.

The Alliance aims to avoid the problems arising from hostile positions that encourage violence and to try to boost cooperation to overcome these divisions. The events of recent years have high lightened the lack of mutual understanding between the Islamic and Western world and this climate has been exploited by extremists throughout the world. The “Alliance of Civilizations” appears as a coalition against such forces to reach a common ground between diverse ethnic and religious groups based on the tolerance, understanding and respect of the fundamental set of values and beliefs of each group in a world of increasing interdependence in all areas, from health to security.

The initiative was originally proposed by the Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero in September 21st 2004 at the 59th UN General Assembly. It was co-sponsored by the Turkish Prime Minister which has pledged initial contributions to establish a fund to finance the work of the Alliance. “Alliance of Civilizations” is therefore the name of the program adopted by United Nations on April 26th 2007 under the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, with the appointment of Jorge Sampaio as High Representative of the United Nations in the Alliance.

Title: Spain-Turkey Joint Issue – Alliance of Civilizations
Date of Issue: 18 October 2010
Country: Spain
Denominations: 0,64 € x 2

Indigenous People 2010

The United Nations Postal Administration issued a second set of 18 commemorative stamps in a mini-sheet format of six stamps each on the theme “Indigenous People”.

Indigenous people are the inheritors and practitioners of unique cultures and ways of relating to other people and to the environment. Indigenous people have retained social, cultural, economic and political characteristics that are distinct from those of the dominant societies in which they live. Despite their cultural differences, the various groups of indigenous people around the world share common problems related to the protection of their rights as distinct peoples.

Estimates point to more than 370 million indigenous people in some 90 countries worldwide. While they are from diverse geographical and cultural backgrounds, they share challenges such as lack of basic health care, limited access to education, loss of control over land, discrimination, forced assimilation, abject poverty, displacement, human rights violations, and economic and social marginalization.

Indigenous people around the world have sought recognition of their identities, their ways of life and their right to traditional lands, territories and natural resources; yet throughout history, their rights have been violated. Indigenous peoples are arguably among the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups of people in the world today. The international community now recognizes that special measures are required to protect the rights of the world’s indigenous peoples.

The landmark United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, drafted and debated for more than 20 years, was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2007. The Declaration is the most comprehensive statement of the rights of indigenous peoples ever developed, giving prominence to collective rights to a degree unprecedented in international human rights law. It emphasizes the rights of indigenous peoples to live in dignity, to maintain and strengthen their own institutions, cultures and traditions and to pursue their self-determined development, in keeping with their needs and aspirations. The adoption of this Declaration is the clearest indication yet that the international community is committing itself to the protection of the individual and collective rights of indigenous peoples.

Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon called upon Member States to promote development while respecting the values and traditions of indigenous peoples at the opening of the annual forum, held in New York in April of this year.

“The loss of irreplaceable cultural practices and means of artistic expression makes us all poorer, wherever our roots may lie,” Secretary-General Ban told the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York. This year’s theme at the forum was “Development with Culture and Identity”.

Title: Indigenous People 2010
Date of Issue: 21 October 2010
Country: United Nations
Denominations: UD$ 0.44, EUR 0,65, F.s. 1.30

Hong Kong in My Eyes

Hongkong post issued a special stamps featuring the winning pieces of the Children Stamp Design Competition 2009 – Hong Kong in my Eyes organised by Hongkong Post.

The winning pieces are presented in a set of 4 stamps capturing the beauty of Victoria Harbour, a variety of local delicacies and the festivity of a dragon dance in colourful paint.

Title: Hong Kong in My Eyes
Date of Issue: 21 October 2010
Country: Hongkong
Denominations: HK $ 1.40,$2.40, $3, $5

Festival 2010 – Singapore

Singapore post issued a set of eight stamps featuring four different festivals Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Hari Raya, Aidilfitri and Christmas of 2010.



Title: Festival 2010 – Singapore
Date of Issue: 20 October 2010
Country: Singapore
Denominations: 1st local x 4, 55c x 4

Spanish Fashion Designer – Manuel Pertegaz

Spanish post issued a souvenir sheet featuring the work of Spanish fashion designer Manuel Pertegaz.

Manuel Pertegaz was born in Olbaid (Teruel). The exact date of his birth is kept secret but it is said to date back to 1917. At the age of 10 his family moved to Barcelona and two years later he began working as an apprentice in a tailor’s shop.

He soon discovered his interest in women’s fashion and in 1942 he opened his first couture workshop in Barcelona. On that same year he presented his first collection characterized by an elegant and original style to which he has remained true throughout his long career. In 1948 he opened a store in Madrid and in 1954 presented his haute couture in the U.S. and in the best stores in New York, Boston, Atlanta and Philadelphia. He was awarded the “Couture Oscar“ by Harvard University.

Three years later he presented his collections in Cairo, Venice, London, Santiago de Chile and Copenhagen. On that same year, on the sudden death of Christian Dior, he was offered to take over the Parisian firm but he declined the job in order to continue in Spanish couture. In the 60s he gained recognition in international shows and trade fairs in Mexico and New York, where critics highlighted the originality of his creations. The arrival of prêt-à-porter in the 70s is easily taken on by the designer who combines it with haute couture fashion.

Throughout his career, Pertegaz has received many awards, including the Gold Medal from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, the Medal for the Promotion of Decorative Arts, The Gold Medal for Artistic Merit by the City of Barcelona, The National Award for Design and Fashion, and the honorary Golden Needle, undoubtedly the most prestigious award in Spanish fashion. In 2004 he was commissioned the design and manufacture of the wedding dress of the Princess of Asturias.

Title: Spanish Fashion Designer – Manuel Pertegaz
Date of Issue: 15 October 2010
Country: Spain
Denominations: 0,34 € x 4

'Winter Tales' - postage stamps by Denmark

Denmark has issued a set of postage stamps on the theme of "Winter Tales".

According to the Post Danmark website, these stamps are the fruit of a unique partnership between graphic designer Maria Bramsen and writer Camilla Hubbe.

Bramsen and Hubbe have known each other since their schooldays, and have many years of experience of working together on books and exhibition projects.

Camilla Hubbe took the first step in the stamp project by writing a story. She then passed the idea on to Maria Bramsen, who immediately set to work devising illustrations. "The idea was to create a kind of comic-strip. A tiny everyday fairytale in four drawings," say the two artists.

Commonwealth Games - New Gibraltar Issue

Gibraltar Post has issued a stamp in honor of the XIX Commonwealth Games.

The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving thousands of elite athletes from members of the Commonwealth of Nations.

The event was first held in 1930 under the title of the British Empire Games in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The event was renamed as the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1954, the British Commonwealth Games in 1970, and gained its current title in 1978. There are currently 54 members of the Commonwealth of Nations, and 71 teams participate in the Games.

The 2010 Commonwealth Games has been held in Delhi, India.

The stamp was designed by Stephen Perera.

2010 Christmas stamps from Italy

On October 29, 2010, the Italian Post issued two new Christmas stamps.

One of the stamps depicts Botticelli's famous painting "The Adoration of the Magi".

"The Adoration of the Magi" is the name traditionally given to the Christian subject in the Nativity of Jesus in art in which the three Magi, represented as kings, having found Jesus by following a star, lay before him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and worship him. In the church calendar, this event is commemorated in Western Christianity as the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6). The Orthodox Church commemorates the Adoration of the Magi on the Feast of the Nativity (December 25).

Special Cover-Celebrate 125th Years of RajKumar College in Raipur.

A new cover has been released at Raipur to celebrate 125th Years of Rajkumar College.Initially this boarding school was specially started for children of Royal families of this area.There after other were allowed.Cover Sent by:Dr.Pradeep Jain

Doon School-Dehradun,Uttarakhand.

The Doon School is very well-known and among the best Schools in India, located in Dehradun in the state of Uttarakhand. Doon School was established in 1935, it was founded by Satish Ranjan Das, a cousin of Chittaranjan Das an Indian freedom fighter and former Chief Justice of India Sudhi Ranjan Das.

Czech Republic to replace 50-koruna note with coin 01.04.2011

According to a Czech National Bank press release dated 8 October 2010:

As from 1 April 2011 it will not be possible to pay for goods and services with the CZK 50 [US$2.85] banknote. The Bank Board of the Czech National Bank has decided to terminate the CZK 50 banknote [Pick 17]. The note will be fully replaced in circulation by the currently used coin of the same denomination.
From 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012, the invalid banknotes – which have a portrait of St. Agnes of Bohemia on the face side – will be exchangeable at bank branches and at branches of the Czech National Bank. From 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2017, the CZK 50 banknotes will be exchanged only by the Czech National Bank (at all its seven branches: Prague, Plzeň, Hradec Králové, Brno, Ostrava, České Budějovice and Ústí nad Labem).
The Czech National Bank has been gradually replacing the CZK 50 banknotes with coins since 2006. The number of such notes in circulation fell from 40 million at the end of 2005 to 25 million at the end of 2009, while the number of CZK 50 coins in circulation increased more than nine-fold in the same period (from 5 million to 47 million).
“The Bank Board’s main motivation in deciding to terminate the CZK 50 banknote was the lower costs of ensuring smooth currency circulation. Coins have a much longer useful life than banknotes, so they reduce the central bank’s direct expenditure on issuing money,” said CNB Bank Board member Pavel Řežábek.
The 50-crown note became part of the circulating currency as a Treasury note in 1919, shortly after the establishment of the independent Czechoslovakia. As a banknote it has been circulating in various versions since 1929 to the present. The longest period in circulation was recorded for the 50-crown note issued in 1965, which was valid until 1991. It depicted a Red Army soldier and a partisan and was designed by Václav Fiala. Treasury notes from the First Republic, especially those issued in 1919 and 1922, are most prized by collectors.
The 1994 and 1997 versions of the CZK 50 banknote are currently in circulation. The previous version (1993), which ceased to be valid in 2007, can currently be exchanged at the CNB. It will be exchangeable until 31 March 2017 only at CNB branches.”

Nicaragua new 50-cordoba commemorative

On 16 September 2010, Banco Central de Nicaragua (BCN) issued a new 50-cordoba (US$2.30) polymer banknote to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the bank. The note measures 141 x 67 mm and is the first vertically-oriented note in the bank's history. The front of the note features the first headquarters of the bank and the back depicts Somoto Canyon. Preceding notes of the same denomination will circulate in parallel with this commemorative, of which 6 million notes will be issued.

Denmark new 200-krone note

Signature (Nils Bernstein, Governor; Lars Gerrild Sørensen, Head of Banking Services).

Danmarks Nationalbank has issued the following press release:

19 October 2010 a new 200-krone [US$37.25] banknote will be issued. The new series makes it even more difficult to counterfeit or copy genuine banknotes. The banknotes have been designed by the artist Karin Birgitte Lund and have Danish bridges and prehistoric finds as their motifs. All Danish banknotes issued since the substitution of money in 1945 can be exchanged at face value at Danmarks Nationalbank.

Why issue new banknotes?
Technological advances mean that counterfeiters constantly gain access to improved tools for copying genuine banknotes. To remain one step ahead, Danmarks Nationalbank in 2006 initiated the process of designing a new banknote series with new security features, a replacement for the current series from 1997.

Among the new security features is a window thread with a moving wave pattern [Crane’s Motion thread]. Another feature is a new, sophisticated hologram that reflects light in different colours. The new banknotes will also have the traditional security features such as the watermark and the hidden security thread.

What do the new banknotes look like?
The theme of the new banknotes is Danish bridges and the surrounding landscapes, or details from these landscapes. The artist Karin Birgitte Lund has chosen to interpret this theme in two ways: bridges as links between various parts of Denmark and as links between the past and the present. The present is represented by the bridges, the past by five distinctive prehistoric objects found near the bridges.

When will the new banknotes be issued?
The expected schedule for introducing the remaining new banknotes is as follows:

• 500 kroner: February 2011 – depicting Queen Alexandrine's Bridge and the bronze vessel from Keldby

• 1,000 kroner: May 2011 – depicting the Great Belt Bridge and the Sun Chariot

What is being done for the visually impaired?
In the interests of the blind and partially sighted, the 100- and 200-krone banknotes will have embossed print to make it easier to distinguish them from each other. Like the current series, the banknotes will differ in size, which is also helpful to the blind and partially sighted.

Swaziland new 100-emalangeni to be issued 01.11.2010

Central Bank of Swaziland Governor, Mr. Martin G. Dlamini has announced that the new series of banknotes with upgraded security features will be released to the public on the 1st November 2010.

The Governor stated that although all the banknotes have been upgraded (E10, E20, E50, E100 and E200), the denominations will be released at intervals of six months, starting with the E100 (One Hundred Emalangeni).

“It is important to clarify from the onset that the new banknotes will be used together with the old notes,” he said.

The Governor further explained that banknote security technology had advanced significantly since the issuing of the current series of notes in 1999. “In addition to ensuring that these banknotes are produced with the best technology in line with the highest international standards, we have also ensured that the new notes are a creative expression of our heritage as a nation,” he said. “We gave a lot of thought to making our new printed currency one that we can all identify with as a reflection of our own lives.”

The Governor appealed to the public to familiarize themselves with the new notes by paying close attention to the security features. “We encourage you to know and understand your money so that you can trust it,” he said.

Click here to download the bank’s official brochure describing these two new nots.

Additional information and images are requested.

Courtesy of Ny Andry Ranaivosolo and Hermann Huber.

Cathedral & John Connon School, Mumbai

Cathedral & John Connon School located in Mumbai,which is a well known school in India gave quality education for the past 150 years. This school also gives importance to cultural activities, such as debated, fine-arts and sports.

Kranti Trivedi--Hindi Writer-Raipur,Madhya Pradesh Date Of issue:29.10.2010

Kranti Trivedi was born in sep 28,1932 in Raipur(M.P.),India.She was one of the most prolific Hindi language writers of the past century,author of over 30 Hindi titles.she wrote many Hindi novels, Hindi children's stories,Hindi poems.Her some notable famous are Chir Kalyani, Anokha Arohi.Her father Ravi Shankar Shukla was noted Indian freedom fighter and first chief minister of Madhya Pradesh.she died on oct 30,2009 in New Delhi.

Big stars of the Italian cinema on stamps

The Italian Post has issued a set of stamps commemorating three geniuses of the Italian cinema - Federico Fellini, Vittorio Gassman and Alberto Sordi.

Federico Fellini was an Italian film director. Known for a distinct style that blends fantasy and baroque images, he is considered one of the most influential and widely revered filmmakers of the 20th century. Fellini wrote and registered such films as Le notte di Cabiria (Nights of Cabiria, 1957), La dolce vita (The sweet life, 1960), 8 1/2 (1963), Juglietta degli spiriti (Juliet of the spirits, 1965) etc.

Vittorio Gassman was an Italian theatre and film actor and director. He is considered one of the greatest Italian actors and is commonly recalled as an extremely professional, versatile, magnetic interpreter, whose long career includes both important productions as well as dozens of divertissements (which made him greatly popular). He acted in more than 100 films, the most popular are La Figlia del capitano (The Captain's Daughter, 1947), Riso amaro (Bitter Rice, 1948), Anna (1951), War and Peace (1956).

Alberto Sordi was an Italian actor, likely the most popular of the 20th Century. He was also a film director and the dubbing voice of Oliver Hardy in the Italian version of the Laurel & Hardy films.

Greenland issues 2010 Christmas stamps

The 2010 Christmas stamps from POST Greenland have been designed by Nuka K. Godtfredsen who has designed four stamps for POST Greenland since 2007. Nuka was born in Narsaq in 1970 and is a trained graphic artist. He has illustrated books and teaching materials since the 1990s and has published his own comics about the figure Andala. In 2009 he released the first edition of the appraised comic album on Greenland's history - the album is called "First steps".

The School of St Jude stamp series

The School of St Jude, a charity providing free education to some of the poorest of Tanzanian children has launched its first-ever stamp series in conjunction with the Tanzanian Posts Corporation.

The stamps feature the various settings of the school including the brightly coloured buses that can be seen picking up and taking home the 1300-plus students and approximately 330 Tanzanian staff in Arusha, a town close to the worldfamous Mount Kilimanjaro.

The 700 TSH shilling stamp features smiling Prep student Gadiel who represents the 150 new students the School of St Jude takes on each year after a rigorous testing process. The school enrolls brightest of the poorest with a limit to one child per family ensuring the benefits will be widely felt amongst the community.

The stamp series includes two variations of the 400 TSH stamp; one depicting the small classroom sizes enjoyed by students at St Jude's, the other highlights the secondary school that opened in 2009 that also provides free quality education and in 2014 will see the first graduates.

The 600 TSH stamp pictures three happy girls eating a nutritious lunch of vegetable pilau, a traditional Tanzanian dish.

The stamp series is available in all Tanzanian post offices and will promote the schools motto of fighting poverty through education within the country and through the stamps, the rest of the world.

Australian Kingfishers on Stamps

In 2009, Australia Post released the very popular stamp issue 'Australian Songbirds', illustrated by wildlife artist Christopher Pope. Such was its reception that Christopher has again turned his hand to the bird thematic, with a new issue, 'Australian Kingfishers'.

Kingfishers comprise a distinctive and spectacular group. There are 95 species worldwide, 10 occurring in Australia. Two species are endemic - the Red-backed Kingfisher and the Laughing Kookaburra - and eight are shared with other countries.

This new stamp issue comprises four denominations, featuring the following Kingfisher species:

60c Red-backed Kingfisher (Todiramphus pyrrhopygius)
$1.20 Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus)
$1.80 Blue-winged Kookaburra (Dacelo leachii)
$3.00 Yellow-billed Kingfisher (Syma torotoro)

Santa Claus, reindeer and Northern lights lend wings to the journey of Christmas mail

Finnish Christmas stamps will be issued on November 5, 2010. The theme of the first stamp of EUR 0.55 in value is Santa Claus, and the other illustrates a reindeer designed by Tommi Vallisto. The 1st class NVI Christmas stamp illustrates Christmas magic in Lapland.

The design of the new stamps represents how Christmas is seen internationally, particularly in Japan.

This year, a joint issue with Japanese Post will be released together with the Finnish Christmas stamps.

A five-stamp miniature sheet denominated in euro is the work of four Japanese designers: Masaki Koide, Sonoko Arai, Ken Kuroi and Goro Sasaki. The joint issue comprises 500,000 sheets in Finland.

The Christmas stamps designed by Tommi Vallisto will be issued in Japan on November 8.

Birds of winter on new Christmas stamps by Iceland Post

These Christmas stamps have been designed with a graphic technique called copper edging. The design is based on the Advent wreath. The main theme is the circular form in the colours of winter, the circle also symbolizing the earth, its seasons and infinity.

On one stamp the circle is covered with snow crystals, on the other with snow flakes. Interwoven with the theme on both stamps are the Icelandic birds of winter, the snow bunting (Plectrophertax nivalis).

Marshall Islands issues new stamps in its landmark Culture series

The Marshall Islands Postal Service has issued five new stamps celebrating Marshallese Culture - the eighth issue in this ongoing series.

Even as late as the early 1800s, Western civilization had not yet reached the Marshall Islands. Subsequently, the unique culture and traditions of the Islanders remained virtually untouched by foreign influences. Over the course of many centuries, however, the proud and eminently resourceful Marshallese developed a rich and fascinating culture that became apparent in their home-building, clothing styles, religious activities, canoe-construction, navigation and fishing methods, just to name a few.

The stamps in this eighth installment of the Marshallese Culture series depict vintage photographs capturing various scenes of Marshallese life: Church Buildings in Likiep (c. 1912); Ijuran Ready to Launch (c. 1921); Group of People, One Man Holding a Fish Net (c. 1904); Lejek with Fish Trap on Korkor in Likiep Lagoon (c. 1920); Landscape with Outrigger and Sailboat (c. 1904).

New Christmas Stamps by Hungary Post

In keeping with its traditions Magyar Posta is issuing a set of stamps to celebrate Christmas. A domestic (HUF 80) stamp and a domestic priority (HUF 105) stamp can be used to send season's greetings.

Works by the painter Erzsebet Udvardi have once again been used for the Christmas stamps this year, as in 2002, 2004 and 2006. The original of the painting now shown, entitled Three Kings, is the altarpiece of the chapel in the Prohaszka Ottokar Ursulite Public Education Centre in Gyor. In the designs details of the painting have been graphically reworked. The stamps show the main subject of the work, the Virgin and Child, and, symbolising the joy of the birth of Jesus, angels making music from the top right of the painting.

The designs based on the original work were made using a special printing technique that allows the application of gold and silver foil. The first day cover for the set features a reproduction of the whole painting.

World's first ceramic stamps unveiled in east China

The limited edition stamps, which are made in 11 versions based on "world expo" themes, were released as a promotion for the 2010 China Jingdezhen International Ceramic Fair that wrapped up Oct. 22. Jingezhen, located in eastern China, claims to having been producing pottery for 1,700 years.

The China National Philatelic Corporation says it limited production to 10,000 sets of the stamps. The patterns are based on 11 World Expo-themed stamps released by China since 2007. Different from paper stamps, these stamps, it is claimed, will not fade, corrode or catch fire.

Each stamp is about 0.3 millimeter in thickness. All the ceramic stamps are hand-made.

People's Daily Online says the stamp makers use "a combination of patented ceramic technology, traditional craftsmanship and modern techniques."

"Each of these ceramic stamps is unique in the world. It overcomes the limitation of paper stamps and shows the world the creativity of Jingdezhen as the ceramic capital of China in modern times," said Liu Jingbo, director of the Jingdezhen Municipal Philatelic Corporation.

World Fencing Championship stamps from France

France Post has issued a set of stamps commemorating the World Fencing Championship which is taking place in France (Paris) from 4 to 13 of November 2010.

Symbolical practice of the knights' age, fencing had developed through the centuries into a subtle, elegant and artistic battle sport.

Three arms of the fencing (rapier, foil and saber) and a wheelchair-bound fencer are illustrated on the two stamps of the set. The central image represents the stained-glass window of the Grand palace hosting the championship.

Centennial of the birth of Pietro Annigoni - new Italian stamp

The Italian Post is issuing a stamp commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Pietro Annigoni, an Italian portrait and fresco painter.

His work bore the influence of Italian Renaissance portraiture, and was in contrast to the modernist and post-modernist artistic styles that dominated the middle and late twentieth century.

Annigoni became famed for his romantic portrayal of the young Queen Elizabeth II in 1956. He is also known for his portraits of Pope John XXIII, US Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, the Shah and Empress of Iran, Princess Margaret and several other members of the British royal family. Other subjects around the world that Annigoni painted include the shoemaker Salvatore Ferragamo, Florentine author Luigi Ugolini, ballet legend Dame Margot Fonteyn, American actress and poet Vanna Bonta as a girl, and the Maharani Gayatri Devi of Jaipur.

Flowering Shrubs of Falkland Islands on Stamps

This stunning issue designed by Mirabel (Tim) Simpson features flowering shrubs found in the Falkland Islands.

These are:

- FUCHSIA Fuchsia magellanica
- BOXWOOD Hebe elliptica
- GORSE Ulex europaeus
- HONEYSUCKLE Lonicera periclymenum

Huai River Harness Work - Set from China

China Post has issued a set of four stamps commemorating the 60th anniversary of harness work on the Huai River. The stamps were designed by Zhang Shiqi.

The Huai River is a major river in China. It is located about mid-way between the Yellow River and Yangtze River, the two largest rivers in China. However, the Huai River does not flow all the way to the sea, making it notoriously vulnerable to flooding.

Until the twelfth century the Huai flowed unimpeded into the sea. But slowly, the Yellow River changed course, eventually blocking the Huai's entrance into the sea. This caused the slope of the riverbed in the lower and middle reaches to become gradual, so that both the mainstream and tributaries became less effective for draining flood waters.

In summer 1950 the Huai flooded, causing a great deal of destruction. In response, the State Council announced its campaign to "Harness the Huai River". The campaign would dam the upper reaches of the river in order to develop hydro power and control floods by both storing flood water in upstream reservoirs and in low-lying flood diversion areas and by dredging the Hong and Ru rivers, the chief local tributaries on the upper reaches of the Huai.

65th Anniversary of UNO stamp from Belarus

On October 24, 2010 Belarus issued a stamp marking 65th anniversary of UNO.

The United Nations Organization (UNO) is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace. The UN was founded in 1945 after World War II to replace the League of Nations, to stop wars between countries, and to provide a platform for dialogue. It contains multiple subsidiary organizations to carry out its missions.

There are currently 192 member states, including nearly every sovereign state in the world. Belarus became member of UNO on the 27th of April 1945.