UN Transport Land/Sea/Air

The United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) issues on this very day three se-tenant strips of five stamps each in the denominations of 44 cents, F.s. 1,00 and € 0,65 on the theme "UN Transport - Land/Sea/Air". Each sheet of 20 stamps will accommodate four se-tenant strips of five stamps.

Transportation plays an important role for the United Nations in its efforts to maintain its peacekeeping and humanitarian operations. United Nations transport vehicles are critical for deploying UN personnel to peacekeeping missions, shipping large amounts of food to meet emergency needs, supplying emergency medical supplies and transporting other cargo and equipment to the field missions throughout the world.

The Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) is dedicated to assisting the Member States and the Secretary-General in their efforts to maintain international peace and security. The Department's mission is to plan, prepare, manage and direct UN peacekeeping operations using all forms of transport, whether by land, sea or air.

United Nations 65th Anniversary Stamps

The United Nations Postal Administration comes out with three sheets of 15 stamps and three souvenir sheets today June 28, 2010 to celebrate the sixty fifth anniversary of the United Nations.

The United Nations officially came into existence on October 24, 1945, when the Charter had been ratified by China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and a majority of other signatories. United Nations Day is celebrated on October 24 each year.

As the world celebrates this milestone, it is recognized that throughout its 65-year history the United Nations has played an integral part in shaping global events through its humanitarian and peacekeeping activities.

One Planet One Ocean

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) celebrates its fiftieth anniversary this year starting on June 8 and will coincide with the World Oceans Day.

Founded in 1960, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO aims to promote international cooperation and to coordinate programmes in research, services and capacity-building, in order to learn more about the nature and resources of the ocean and coastal areas and to apply the knowledge gained to the improved management, sustainable development and protection of the marine environment, and to assist the decision making processes of its 136 member States.

To commemorate the occasion, the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) will issue on May 6, 2010 six se-tenant mini-sheets of four stamps each (for a total of 24 commemorative stamps) on the theme "One Planet, One Ocean".

On the release date of the stamps, UNPA will also issue three prestige booklets.

International Year of Biodiversity Stamps from UNPA

The United Nations declared 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity to create a worldwide awareness of the importance of biodiversity and the consequences of its loss.

UN believes that the International Year of Biodiversity is a unique opportunity to increase understanding of the vital role that biodiversity plays in sustaining life on Earth.

To highlight the theme, the United Nations Postal Administration issues on April 15, 2010 two new Geneva definitive stamps and two new Vienna definitive stamps. Two more New York definitive stamps on the theme will be released on October 18, 2010 to complete the set.

2010 Endangered Species Stamps

The newest stamp series featuring endangered species will be released on April 15, 2010 by the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA).

Launched on March 3, 1993, the Endangered Species series feature varieties of plants, cacti and trees. The stamps highlight the need for the protection of endangered species all over the world.

The set of 12 stamps in the latest series were designed by Rosie Sanders who hails from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

United Nations' Indigenous People Stamp Issue

Indigenous people all over the world are featured in the October 8, 2009 United Nations Postal Administration's commemorative stamp issue.

The 18 stamps in a mini sheet format of 6 are beautifully designed by Stephen Bennet, a portrait painter from New York who travels around the world painting portraits of indigenous people.

Read more about the indigenous people here.

United Nations Secretary General on Philippine Stamps

"The United Nations is doing its utmost to respond — to address the big issues, to look at the big picture. We are forging a new multilateralism that can deliver real results for all people, especially those most in need." United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stresses in his United Nations Day 2009 speech.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appeared on a Philippine stamp set released by the Philippine Postal Corporation (Philpost) on October 29, 2008.

Featured on the P7.00 stamp is Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon while the P26.00 stamp portrays him with Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The stamps were issued to highlight his visit to the Philippines last year.

Stamps Energize Me! (re-published)

I was checking my friendster account when I stumbled on a blog I did a year ago. I kinda like what I wrote in that blog in FS so I am re-publishing it here. So here goes...

"It is six minutes to 5:00 AM but I am still wide awake. Earlier, I found out that the Cebu Stamp Club official website at http://cebustampclub.tripod.com is now the 23rd most viewed stamp organization site ranked by Google. Knowing that all the hard work and the sleepless nights have paid off gave me a sense of fulfillment and excitement.

Founding the club and managing it as well as being its webmaster, editor and writer is no joke. I can't imagine how I got all this energy and enthusiasm to go on.

The passion I have for philately and the active promotion of the stamp collecting hobby energizes me. Yes, stamps energize me. It made me who I am.

I recall an old friend who once told me that he loves to lick the back part of a stamp before mounting it on his album pages. He never uses water on a container but prefers to give his personal signature in each of the stamps he mounts by means of his saliva. Doing so gives him a natural high.

There are many stories I know about stamps energizing people. I have seen members who stay wide awake during the mountings and setting up of our stamp exhibits in malls. They don't even get paid a single cent by doing so. Full of energy and enthusiasm, they happily volunteer and do it for the love of the hobby.

At this moment, I am transported back in time when I first began collecting stamps. I can still feel the joy and excitement whenever a new stamp comes my way. Oh, what a feeling!

Later today, I will be bidding a sought after Philippine Commonwealth set in Ebay. Just thinking of having it in my collection contributes to my feeling of restlessness.."

The photo above is my mint United Nations year album featuring New York, Geneva and Vienna stamp issues.