News
9 August 2004
Issue of "Official Souvenir Cover to Commemorate Hongkong Post's Participation in the World Stamp Championship 2004"
I should be grateful if the following information could be passed to the press and all other news media for publication on 9 August 2004.
The Acting Postmaster General, Mrs. Joanna CHOI, announced today (9 August 2004) that Hongkong Post will participate in the World Stamp Championship 2004 (WSC 2004) to promote Hong Kong stamps to overseas philatelists. The WSC 2004 exhibition (from 28 August to 1 September 2004) is the first World Stamp Championship to be held in Singapore, and coincides with the celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the first use of stamps in Singapore in 1854. It is organised by the Association of Singapore Philatelists and assisted by a number of organisations including Singapore Post Limited, Singapore Tourism Board and National Heritage Board. It is also arranged under the patronage of the Federation Internationale de Philatelie (F.I.P.) and the auspices of the Federation of Inter-Asian Philately (F.I.A.P.). With the inspiring theme of "Uniting The World Through Stamps", WSC 2004 is bound to draw much interest from philatelists worldwide.
A souvenir cover will be issued to commemorate Hongkong Post's participation in the exhibition. The selling price is $2 each. The cover will be available at 39 philatelic offices from 14 to 28 August 2004 and at the exhibition venue from 28 August to 1 September 2004.
A special postmark and cachet will be introduced to commemorate the event. Hand-back datestamping service for the special postmark will be provided to official and privately-made covers bearing an indication of the event and a local address at 39 philatelic offices and at the exhibition venue on 28 August 2004, the opening day of the event. The "GPO-1" postmark, "Philatelic Bureau" pictorial postmark and the philatelic office pictorial postmarks will also be available for providing hand-back datestamping service at all philatelic offices on the same day. A special cachet will also be available for application on covers at the exhibition venue and all philatelic offices during normal office hours throughout the period of the event.
The public hall of the Philatelic Bureau will open from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on 28 August 2004 for datestamping covers with the "Philatelic Bureau" pictorial postmark, the "GPO-1" postmark as well as the special postmark.
The enclosed photograph shows the specimen impression of the special postmark (left) and Cachet (right) to be issued on 28 August 2004 on the theme "World Stamp Championship 2004".
The enclosed photographs show the Souvenir Cover to be issued on 14 August 2004 on the theme "World Stamp Championship 2004".