Collecting stamps by theme: World Festivals

Whatever the time of year, you can be sure that somewhere in the world, a festival will be taking place. We round up the latest new issues with a festival theme

With a history dating back eight centuries, India’s popular Urs Festival certainly merits its own stamp issue. The annual festival commemorates the death of the saint Moinuddin Christi, whose feast is held during the Islamic month of Rajab. Pilgrims travel from across India for the six-day event, during which the usually locked gates of the Dargah shrine are left open, as shown on the colourful stamp, featuring pilgrims outside the building. The stamp is part of a two-stamp issue which also includes the Dargah shrine, with the artist depicting the interior of the shrine along with pilgrims worshipping.

Emirates Post celebrates its influential Dates Festival, held each year to raise awareness of the cultural, historical and nutritional importance of the date, an important food export. The stamps, which have been issued alongside a first day cover and souvenir sheet, and which show a crop of dates, have been made available in post offices across the United Arab Emirates. Ibrahim Bin Karam, Chief Commercial Officer of Emirates Post Group, said of the issue: ‘Emirates Post is proud to support the goal of the Liwa Date Festival through these stamps which have been designed to artistically bring alive the unique heritage of dates.’

Taiwan celebrates a year of festivals with four stamps featuring the Chinese New Year, Lantern Festival, Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival. Much of Taiwan’s festival culture is centered around fireworks and flamboyant parade decorations, and the stamps, from Chunghwa Post, include floating lanterns, street decorations, decorated festival wear and celebration foods including moon cakes, traditionally eaten at the Mid-Autumn Festival to symbolise beauty and togetherness.

Stamp artist Stephen Perera has created a colourful collage of instruments and musical notes to celebrate the first ever Gibraltar International Jazz Festival, staged during June. The 75p stamp also features the dates of the festival and the festival logo. This year’s line up included the University of London Big Band, the New Orleans Jump Band and the Juan Galiardo Quintet.

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