POST STAMPS CONTRIBUTE TO AN INCREASE OF THE IMAGE OF OUR COUNTRY
Emma Balayan

19-10-2009

In today’s world where integration processes are active, urgency
becomes the problem of preservation of its identity of each nation.

Thus, the dominant role belongs to the national culture, to which
can be attributed the issuing of postage stamps, which is also one
of the attributes of statehood. It is remarkable, that during the
discussion of the common currency by West European states, the idea
of the issuing common stamps for all was also discussed, which was
decided nevertheless in favor of preserving identity. For the states
the right to issue their own stamps has retained, which are also
exponents of national interests and historical processes i.e. they
play positive role in the propagation of information about the state
and its policy, which is especially important for the countries,
having formally unrecognized status. All issues of stamps of the NKR,
beginning to which was established in 1993, is responsible for mail
of the NKR Supreme Council First Convocation of Sergey Kalantaryan,
are bright, original, and most importantly, the competent carriers
of national interests. Let us not that the previous issues of stamps
were printed in the USA, Germany, France, but in recent years, stable
collaboration has been fixed with the Dutch printing house "Royal
Of john Enschede", which is one of the world leaders, specializing
in the printing of postage stamps. "The quality of stamps must
correspond to the highest world standards so that they will be much
in demand and hence will have a wider geographical distribution",
– stressed S. Kalantaryan, who is still an indispensable organizer,
and has recently become the designer of the issue of stamps in our
republic. So, in this year, with his help and with the support of the
leadership "Artsakhpost", which is the official customer of stamps,
during September in a post-treatment were included 4 new release on
different themes: the protection of wildlife, a pan-European issue
"Europe", dedicated to astronomy, stamp on a chess theme and postal
unit "Memory". Note that to each issue of stamps, a special envelope
of the first day and a special postal cancellation are published. On
September 10, for the first time the stamps have been published,
dedicated to the fauna of Artsakh, with the image of the brown bear,
lynx and fox. In the design of the stamps are used images of the
Shushi Valley Dzhdrduz and the top of the mountain Kirs. Envelope of
the first day and a special postal cancellation of this issue came
out with the image of a lynx.

On September 14, the stamps of release "Europe" entered in the post
circulation. It is the second year that NKR is a full participant in
this issue, in which participate 60 countries. The Pan-European theme
of present year was dedicated to the 400- anniversary of the serious
astronomical discoveries of Galileo with the use of possibilities of a
telescope. At the first of these three stamps depicts the telescope,
which is located in a university observatory of Artsakh, and the
facade of the central building of the university. At the second mark
in accordance with the astronomical symbol of September (the month the
adoption of the Declaration of the NKR) shows the constellation Virgo,
which embodies the Karabakhian girl in a national dress of the famous
artist-designer Gayane Petrosyan.

The third mark symbolizes one of Galileo’s discoveries: it shows
the planet Jupiter with its satellite Europe, which Galileo saw
through a telescope. Stamps are printed in sheets of 10 pieces,
with the decoration of which is used Karabakh ornament. The separate
elements of the stamps of this release are assembled on the envelope
of the first day. Chess issue is devoted to the second victory of the
Armenian team at the World Chess Olympiad, went into circulation on
September 17. On the stamp is depicted the geographical map of Armenia
and the NKR, on which 5 chessmen kings are placed, representing
the members of the Armenian team. Two figures are placed on the
Karabakhian side of the map, which indicates the Karabakhian roots
of the two members of the Armenian team. On the stamp is depicted
also the official emblem of the last chess Olympiad of 2008, held
in Dresden. In the fields of vintage sheet is written: "Armenia –
champion of the 38th Chess Olympiad". On the envelope of the first
day is depicted the stylized chessboard with the colors of the flag
of Armenia and the cup, won by the Armenian chess players, as well
as the emblem of the Olympics. Postage block "Memory" is timed to the
15th anniversary of the armistice and is dedicated to the memory of the
freedom fighters. It entered into post circulation on September 21. On
the stamp of block is used the image of the sculptural work of the
well-known artist Arnold Meliksetyan, who was able to display a high
spirit of the Karabakhian warrior-liberator. The fields of block are
designed in the form the candles lighted in the memory of our freedom
fighters. On the envelope of the first day of this block is depicted
the monastery of Dadivank and to the right, as the background, the
river Araks, symbolizing the southern boundary of Artsakh with Iran.

Nominal unit consists of two parts: a postal and an additional fare
for a total of 200 drams, so that after the implementation of stamps
the received funds could be deposited into the fund of the Union of
Relatives of the Perished Freedom fighters of the NKR. It should be
noted that our stamps have received a fitting recognition by the world
public opinion and has already put in some of the major philatelic
catalogs, and the German catalog "Michel" constantly introduces
philatelists with the new issues of stamps of the NKR. Sergey
Kalantaryan stresses the importance of strengthening the process of
issue of stamps, which recently finds increasing understanding and
contributes to an increase of the image of our country in the eyes of
the world community. Ad notam to the readers, the stamps of the NKR,
entering the Pan-European release "Europe", are exhibited at the most
famous Internet site (europa-stamps.blogspot.com), dedicated to this
subject. Finally, we focus the attention of citizens of the NKR that
from any branch of the Karabakh-mail to any country in the world,
it is possible to send a letter prepaid (paid) by our state stamps.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress