COVER N. 551 - SRI LANKA

Postmark: Headquarters P. O. Colombo Mail 30.12.2024

Posted on the 30th December 2024; Received on the 7th January 2025

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Ravindra sends me a curious cover with three different  World Post Day commemorative stamps issued by Sri Lanka Post. Bohomȧ  sthoothi, Ravi!.

The Universal Postal Union was created in 1874, in Bern, Switzerland, where it has been headquartered ever since, as the General Postal Union, with a view to harmonising international mail delivery. As of  1878 it changed its name to the current designation, Union Postale Universelle or Universal Postal Union, and in 1948 it became a body of the United Nations.

During its 1969 congress held in Japan, the Indian delegation proposed that the anniversary day for the Union - the 9th of October - should thenceforth be declared World Post Day. 

The proposal having been accepted, the 9th of October has become synonymous with celebrating postal services and their relevance, all over the world.

Celebrating this date, many postal administrations issue yearly or episodically commemorative World Post Day stamps and /or cancellations.

Sri Lanka is one such case and on the cover we have examples of the last three issues dedicated to the theme, each in the form of one 50 Rupee stamp,  issued on the 9th October 2022 (Post for planet); 2023 (Together for trust) and 2024 ("150 years of enabling communication and empowering peoples across nations”).

As usual the postmark hails from the P.O. Headquaters at Colombo.