World Theatre Day Stamp by Italy

The Italian Post has released a stamp to commemorate the World Theatre Day 2011.

The stamp shows the poster created on the occasion of World Theatre Day, entitled "Interaction", featuring the outline of an actor on the stage before an audience, with a palette of colors on his breast designed to represent the mystery and energy of the interplay between cast and audience; at the centre of the illustration there is a butterfly in flight, creating a link between the actor and his audience.

World Theatre Day was created in 1961 by the International Theatre Institute (ITI). It is celebrated annually on the 27th March by ITI Centers and the international theatre community. Various national and international theatre events are organized to mark this occasion. One of the most important of these is the circulation of the World Theatre Day International Message through which at the invitation of ITI, a figure of world stature shares his or her reflections on the theme of Theatre and a Culture of Peace. The first World Theatre Day International Message was written by Jean Cocteau (France) in 1962.

Ever since, each year on the 27th March (date of the opening of the 1962 "Theatre of Nations" season in Paris), World Theatre Day has been celebrated in many and varied ways by ITI National Centers of which there are now almost 100 throughout the world.

Pioneer Arts - stamp set from Papua New Guinea

The PNG Post has issued a set of stamps featuring works by Mathias Kauage, an exuberant painter and a founding figure of Pacific modern art from Papua New Guinea.

Mathias Kauage drew fantastic creatures inspired by Chimbu myth, scenes of Moresby town life and political events. He produced major paintings around Papua New Guinea's Independence in 1975.

In 1998, Kauage was awarded the Order of the British Empire for services to the arts by Queen Elizabeth II.

The National Gallery of Australia has described him as "Papua New Guinea's best-known contemporary artist".

Kauage's art included drawing, painting and woodcuts. His later works were often signed 'Kauage - Artist of PNG'.

The stamp set contains the following images:

K1.05 - Pilot flying an airplane
K5.00 - First Missionary
K5.00 - Trainee pilot at training
K7.00 - Air Niugini's Airbus

The souvenir sheet features Parachute man and the sheetlet illustrates Air Niugini's Airbus transporting passengers to and from Papua New Guinea.

William and Kate torn apart by Pacific nation's royal wedding stamp

Niue in the South Pacific is one of many nations around the globe issuing stamps to commemorate the wedding of Britain's Prince William to Kate Middleton later this month - however the tiny country's version was today proving more attention-grabbing than most.

Designed and printed by New Zealand Post, the commemorative "stamp" is actually a pair - with the prince on one, his bride on the other and a perforated line down the middle. Which means Mr and Mrs can be torn apart.

On the unusual Niue stamp, the second-in-line to the throne is also worth $1 more than his bride - with Kate's side worth $2.40, and her husband-to-be $3.40. The stamp is priced in New Zealand dollars, the currency used by Niue.

Editor of Gibbons Stamp Monthly Hugh Jefferies told British newspaper The Telegraph the stamp was "embarrassing" and had not been designed well.

However NZ Post Stamps and Coins general manager Ivor Masters told TV3 that the design had been approved by Queen Elizabeth II, who is the nation's head of state.

"Design of the royal wedding was particularly innovative," he said. "If you think of how many of those stamps would actually be used for postage, the real focus is on collecting memorabilia."

The design was not the only controversy affecting stamps produced by NZ Post for the April 29 royal wedding, with a presentation pack of New Zealand's own stamps containing an error regarding to Prince William's birth date, The Dominion Post reported Monday.

Mr Masters said that about 3000 presentation packs with the mistake were sold, and only two customers had asked for it to be replaced. Another 300 reprinted packs with the correct date have already been bought or ordered, he said.

Stamp to honor Vasas Sport Club

Magyar Posta celebrates the centenary of the foundation of Vasas Sport Club by issuing a special stamp.

The stamp is red and blue, which are the colours of Vasas SC, and it also has the logo of the club.

On the special envelope there is a list of the sections, and the special cancellation stamp includes a stylised drawing of the logo.

Vasas SC is one of Hungary's major sports clubs. Most of its facilities are situated in Budapest's 13th district in the north of the town. Members of the Hungarian Union of Iron Workers founded the club as Vas-es Femmunkasok Sport Clubja, the "Sport Club of Iron and Steel Workers", on 16 March 1911.

The club is internationally best known for its successful football and water polo departments, which have won many national and international competitions. But also athletes from other departments have won many Olympic gold medals as well as international and national championships.

The club's women's handball team has for 15 times been crowned Hungarian champions, and in 1982 won the Handball European Cup.

'Working Dogs of the United Nations' Event Sheet

On 7 April 2011, UNPA will issue a new event sheet commemorating the "Working Dogs of the United Nations". The sheet features 10 stamps with the United Nations emblem. In the tabs are photos of United Nations Security Dogs and their handlers in the New York, Geneva and Vienna canine units.

The UN canine units are part of the United Nations Security and Safety Services. They were established at UN Headquarters in New York in May 2004 and at UN Headquarters in Geneva in 2008. The canine unit in Vienna is fully operational since 21 March 2011.

United Nations canine dogs come from all over the world with distinct personalities and talents. In New York the canine unit uses Labradors, in Geneva a German Shepherd and in Vienna the dog of choice is the Belgian Malinois. Everyday, they come to work with their handlers to keep safe all the staffers, delegates and visitors on the UN premises. Before joining the unit, each handler has to go through a series of interviews conducted by the UN Security and Safety Services and the local state police. Once selected, they attend rigorous training courses. The handlers and their four-legged partners have to pass through increasingly difficult training scenarios, including obedience responses, building searches, land navigation and basic canine first aid, before the handlers receive certification.