25th Anniversary of CARD MRI stamp from the Philippines

The Philippine Postal Corporation is coming up with the 25th Anniversary of the CARD MRI (Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Mutually Reinforcing Institutions) stamps, which will be issued on April 25, 2011.

A group of 15 rural development practitioners organized the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) Inc. as a social development foundation in December 1986 as a concerted response to the growing poverty incidence in depressed communities in Regions IV and V, particularly in the provinces of Laguna, Quezon, Mindoro Oriental, Mindoro Occidental, Marinduque, Masbate and the Bicol Region. Its vision has always been to establish a bank owned and managed by landless rural women. The president and now Managing Director of CARD Founding, Dr. Jaime Aristotle said: "Only by creating a vehicle for asset ownership, we can ensure that the poor will gain control over their own resources and over their own destiny".

The stamps illustrate exchange of money between two hands that show Php20.00 bills and an agricultural land in the background. It also shows the 25 years logo of CARD MRI.

Stamps to Honor Favorite Armenian Movie

Haypost (Armenia) has recently issued a set of stamps celebrating 75th anniversary of screening of "Pepo", the first Armenian sound film ever created.

This film, directed by Hamo Beknazarian (Bek-Nazarow), is based on Gabriel Sundukyan's 1876 play of the same name.

It shows the two social groups in opposition: the rich and the poor. A man from the poor group is a positive and dignified hero and reflects the trouble and tragedy of the whole group. This goes throughout the whole story.

Considered the 'most outstanding' film in Soviet cinema before the outbreak of World War II, the film has gained international recognition and has come to represent Armenian culture abroad.

St. Kitts General Post Office to issue Royal Wedding Stamps

The General Post Office in St. Kitts will honour the Royal Wedding with the release of stamps celebrating the Engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

According to the General Post Office, the Souvenir Sheets and Sheetlets to mark this historic occasion would be released for sale on Tuesday 26th April 2011 at the Philatelic Bureau, Pelican Mall, ahead of the April 29th wedding.

University of Iceland on Stamp

The University of Iceland celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Iceland Post is issuing a stamp to mark this event.

The University of Iceland was founded in 1911, uniting three former Icelandic schools of Theology, Medicine and Law. In addition there was a faculty of humanities. During its first year of operation 45 students were enrolled. The first Rector of the university was Bjorn M. Olsen, a professor in the faculty of humanities. The current Rector of the University of Iceland is Dr. Kristin Ingolfsdottir, the first woman to hold this position.

The University was originally housed in the Icelandic Parliament building but in 1940 it moved into the University's main building. The University offers diverse fields of study along with continuing education. In recent years there has been some major restructuring. In 2008 the university was divided into five different schools with 25 faculties. Simultaneously, Iceland University of Education was merged with the University of Iceland to become its School of Education.

For Youth 2011 Stamps: Budapest's City Park

Every year Magyar Posta (Hungary Post) releases special For Youth stamps with a surcharge to support stamp collecting by young people.

In 2011 the sights of Budapest's City Park provide the subject for the stamps.

The designs of the miniature sheet show the well-known sights of the City Park in a characteristic graphic composition, which are in the order of the stamps the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden, the Funfair, Vajdahunyad Castle, the Ice Rink and the Boating Lake.

The second and fourth stamps in the miniature sheet contain a surcharge. Magyar Posta devotes the proceeds from the surcharge to supporting youth stamp collecting. The amount of the surcharge may not be used to pay for postage.

The silhouette of the building of the Széchenyi Baths appears on the first day cover for the miniature sheet and the design of the special postmark employs a stylised picture of balloons.