Albania
Philatelic materials related to Ukrainian resistance to Russian aggression
Contents:
Albania,
officially known as the Republic of Albania, is a country in Southeastern Europe.
It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast,
the Republic of
Macedonia to the east, and Greece to the south and southeast.
It has coasts on the Adriatic Sea to the west and on the Ionian Sea to the southwest.
It is less than 72 km from
Italy, across the Strait of Otranto which links the Adriatic Sea to the Ionian Sea.
[R1]
Postage stamps from Albania are marked Shqiperia, Shqiperise and Shqiptare.
The first stamp of Albania issued in 1913
[R2]
Official stamps of Albania to Ukrainian resistance to Russian aggression
28.02.2024 "Ukraine, unbroken beauty for more than 1500 years" [1] |
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Notes:
[1] These stamps were issued by Albanian Post
in honor of visit of Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky's to Tirana.
The stamps feature two Ukrainian girls, under the inscription: "Ukraine, unbroken beauty for more than 1500 years".
Proceeds from the sale of postage stamps will go towards raising funds to provide mine clearance equipment.
The stamps were issued in single-design panes of 49 and as part of Souvenir-Sheet.
These stamps reuse design of personal stamps issued in Belgum is September 2023.
They were designed and produced by Mr. Davy WAUTERS, former NATO official, who
published the following announcement on his linkedIn profile.
Shorter version of the text was published in the booklet of Albanian Post in 2024.
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"Ukraine, unbroken beauty for more than 1500 years" brochure of Albanian Post, with text
in Albanian and English.
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One of Belgian personalized stamps, produced by Mr. Davy WAUTERS
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The creation of the drawing/stamp is an idea of Davy WAUTERS, former NATO official.
It was designed and drawn in collaboration with the Ukrainian portrait artist Oksana LAPSIUK.
On the left side of the drawing, a prosperous Ukraine.
A beautiful, smiling Ukrainian woman wearing the traditional outfit: “Vyshyvanka” shirt
and a (green) gilet with floral embroidery along with a red skirt and a floral crown.
She is holding a sheaf of wheat in her hands. In the background, a peaceful blue sky
with three birds flying and a blissful stretch of a fertile wheat field.
On the bottom middle of the drawing, the numbers “24.02” are drawn referring to 24 February 2022,
the day of the second military intervention by Russia in Ukraine, which unleashed a full-scale war.
This illustrates the before and after.
On the right side of the drawing, the same woman at the same place but after the full-scale war
in Ukraine had started.
Her beautiful smile replaced by a determined face bearing marks of combat.
The determined look in her eyes indicating she is not afraid.
Being a doctor, she is now putting her skills at the disposal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Her floral crown is transformed into a military helmet. The “Vyshyvanka” - into a green military
uniform and a flak jacket.
The embroidered red flowers now traces of blood on her uniform.
The Ukrainian flag and the coat of arms on her right arm.
Instead of the sheaf of wheat, she is now holding a bloody bandage in one hand and
a battlefield medical kit in the other.
The peaceful blue sky is now grey with smoke, the three birds becoming three missiles
being shot at the Ukrainian soil, the prosperous wheat field on fire because of
explosions made by Russian troops, destroying the agriculture and making the harvest impossible.
On the upper middle of the drawing, the slogan “Ukraine: Unbroken Beauty for over 1500 Years”.
The background of the word “Ukraine” is made in the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
“Unbroken” referring to the resilience of Ukrainians.
“Beauty” referring to the country and its people.
“For over 1500 years” to remind that Ukraine has a very long history and was founded
centuries before Russia appeared on the map.
The choice to use a woman for this image is to highlight the undying courage of the countless
Ukrainian women who are fighting alongside men in this war, which does not discriminate by age,
gender or color.
The stamp exists in five different versions with different hair and eye colors,
including gray hair showing that age is no obstacle in the fight against Russia.
The artwork of Davy WAUTERS and Oksana LAPSIUK below.
References
Acknowledgements:
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Many thanks to fellow collector Mr. Sergiy Chaus from Ireland
for his help finding information about "Ukraine, unbroken beauty for more than 1500 years"
stamps pf Albania.