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The
"Fédération Internationale de Philatélie"
(F.I.P.) has looked after stamp
collectors and philatelists since
1926 - growing from a society of
a handful European Philatelic Federations
to a Federation with a network throughout
the world with
- 90 Regular Members (National Philatelic Federations)
- 3 Associated Members (Continental Federations)
- Promotional Members (a new type of Membership for Postal
Administrations)
The aims of F.I.P. are:
- to promote stamp collecting and philately
- to maintain friendly relations and friendship among all peoples.
- to establish and maintain close relations with the philatelic trade and postal administrations.
- to promote philatelic exhibitions by granting Patronage and Auspices
The
hobby of Stamp Collecting has occupied
for more than a century the first
place among all hobbies and it earned
the distinction of being nicknamed
"The King of the Hobbies and the
Hobby of Kings". Today the hobby
has maintained its special attraction
but more effort is needed to uphold
the fascination. A survey revealed
that three segments of interest
in stamp collecting can be discerned,
each needing a different approach
in promotional work:
- Emerging interest in developing countries,
- growing interest in Asia
- and stagnating to declining interest in industrialised countries.
In
1990 first tentative steps were
taken for a collaboration between
the philatelic world and UPU. Two
symposia on philately were carried
through at the UPU Headquarters
in Bern resulting in the establishment
of the UPU Contact Committee for
Philately which was renamed for
publicity purposes to
World
Association for the Development
of Philately (W.A.D.P.).
The
main objectives of W.A.D.P. are
-
A world wide promotion campaign for stamp collecting starting with "The Guide for the Development of Philately" for Postal Administrations.
-
Seminars for Postal Administrations based on the Guide for the Development of Philately (in 2000 in Riga for Postal Administrations of East European countries, 2001 for Postal Administration African countries in Tunis)
-
Strengthening of the Philatelic Code of Ethics of UPU a recommendation to Postal Administrations to maintain a sound and moderate stamp issuing policy
-
Actions against illegal postage stamp issues with the introduction of the World Numbering System.
Stamp
shows are the best platform to promote
philately and were introduced in
the last century as "Salons of Stamps"
and have grown to exhibitions with
an area of more than 100 000 m2.
At the beginning these shows were
organised and financed by local
stamp collector's clubs for their
immediate public and developed to
World affairs as joint ventures
between the host country's Postal
Administration and the National
Philatelic Federation. Next important
philatelic events are planned in:
- JAKARTA / INDONESIA - JAKARTA 2012 (WSC)
- PARIS / FRANCE - SALON PLANETE TIMBRE 2012
- MELBOURNE / AUSTRALIA - AUSTRALIA 2013
- BANGKOK / THAILAND - THAILAND 2013
- RIO DE JANEIRO / BRAZIL - BRASILIANA 2013
Seminars
for beginners and senior collectors
as well as for philatelic jurors
(national and international) are
being organised at all the above
Exhibitions under the supervision
of the different FIP Commissions.
In
the third millennium F.I.P. launched
new type of philatelic competitions
where National teams will compete
against each other:
- Initiated in the year 2001 - the Nation's CUP which could lead to the Continental CUP and to the WORLD CUP
- Started in 2004 - The WORLD STAMP CHAMPIONSHIP
(the Olympiad of stamp collectors)
started 2004 in Singapore. The second one took place in Israel in 2008
- One Frame Exhibits and Open Class Exhibits are well integrated in FIP exhibitions
F.I.P.
is convinced that postage stamps
will always maintain their status
as "little ambassador" of a Nation
and therefore also stamp collecting
and philately, the more advance
variety of stamp collecting, will
weather any odds coming their way.
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