The 2023 EUROPA CEPT stamps are going to be a curious mix. The original theme, Underwater Fauna & Flora, was moved to 2024 after the EUROPA committee decided on an abrupt change to the program when Russia invaded Ukraine last year. The new theme stresses peace and cooperation among nations:
Following the decision of the Extraordinary PostEurop Board of Directors meeting held on 25 April 2022, the 2023 EUROPA Stamp theme will be “PEACE – the highest value of humanity” as proposed by Ukrposhta in order “to show solidarity with Ukraine and to promote the universal value for all humanity – peace”. Apr. 29, 2022 News Release
Not all countries will participate, which isn’t unusual. But seeing those who normally contribute and choose not to, will be interesting. This is one of the most overtly political themes EUROPA has picked since its 1956 inception. Some countries won’t issue the new PEACE stamp because of the late change in theme and prefer to stick with their set program. As well, there will be countries who opt not to take a stand and ignore the 2023 release altogether because they either don’t wish to appear to be supporting Ukraine or criticizing Russia. As belligerent states, neither Russia nor Belarus will be participating, but it’s unlikely they would even if they hadn’t been excluded.
EUROPA 2023 Peace Knot
Although peace has been a motif in previous issues, this is Post EUROP’s first strong, political stand against war. It takes the ideal of “peaceful cooperation” further to “PEACE – the highest value of humanity“. A common design, voted on by the committee, will be used by all participating EUROPA countries to stress solidarity with Ukraine.
The stamp was designed by Luxembourg based designers Linda Bos and Runa Egilsdottir. The theme explores how delicate peace is and how it should be the highest value humanity works towards.
PEACE the highest value of humanityThe world needs a new Peace symbol, uniting all nations.
Cultural differences perchance a barrier for a state of Peace. If only mankind could respect each other’s differences by understanding their significance and responding to them with consideration, the world would be a better place.
According to the special jury’s opinion, the winning design motif reflects the idea of the 2023 EUROPA competition in the most appropriate way. It’s a successful attempt to create a new sign representing peace on the basis of European centuries-old visual motif of a knot, symbol of infinite unity, friendship and love. This universal sign is also a perfect philatelic representation in relation with the celebrations of the 30th anniversary of PostEurop in 2023.
ADC’s Peace symbol voted to appear on the 2023 Europa stamps in over 50 countries. – A Designers’ Collective
While some countries will issue just the single stamp with Bos and Eglisdottir’s design, others have designed companion stamps to expand on the theme of peace and cooperation. And some, like Belgium have used the souvenir sheet to further explore the theme.
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Åland
2 stamps, FDC, cancel
offset
Stamp one:
The stamp illustrates a sunrise over Åland granite cliffs symbolising hope and new beginnings. The sun and its rays form the well-known peace sign, which has maritime roots. The symbol is based upon the letters N and D in the nautical flag alphabet. The letters stand for nuclear disarmament.
Europa, Peace II -mint – Åland Stamps (alandstamps.com)
This is Sofia’s first stamp. From her website:
The Åland Islands are demilitarized since 1856 and neutralized since 1921. This special status has given Åland the nickname “the islands of peace”. The final illustration depicts sunrise over red granite cliffs of the Åland archipelago. Together, the sun and its reflection form the peace sign. Sunrise is symbolic of hope, growth and new beginnings.
Gerald Holtom’s peace sign from 1958 was originally commissioned for a nuclear disarmament campaign. The symbol has naval roots, representing flag semaphore signals for the initials N and D, Nuclear Disarmament. The origin of the peace sign inspired the illustration for the first day cover whereas the flowers in the illustrations draw on the nature of Åland archipelago.
Åland Post (sofiapusa.com)
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer for the set: Johanna Finne
Release date: May 9, 2023.
Andorra (Sp)
1 stamp, cancel
offset
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Release date: May 9, 2023
Armenia
Austria
1 stamp, cancel
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Design: Marion Füllerer
Release date: May 5, 2023
Azerbaijan
2 stamps, souvenir sheet, sheets of 8
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer: Orkhan Garayev
Baku based artist Garayev has designed over 90 stamps for Azerbaijan, including this year’s thought provoking companion to the EUROPA Peace knot. I couldn’t find a website for Mr Garayev, but did find his Instagram page which has proven to be a rich resource for anyone who admires his work.
Release date: July 10, 2023
Azores
1 stamp, souvenir sheet, maxi card FDC, cancel
offset
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer: Undesign/Helder Soares
Souvenir sheet artist: Pedro Ferreira
Release date: May 9, 2023
Belgium
1 stamp, sheet of 5
Designer of sheetlet: TBA
Release date: June 12, 2023
Bosnia-Herzegovina (FBiH) (Croatia)
2 stamps, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel, sheet of 8
offset
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer of Dove issue: Marin Musa
Release date: May 9, 2023
Bosnia-Herzegovina (BH MOSTAR)
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer FDC: Tamer Lučarević
Release date: May 9, 2023
Bosnia-Herzegovina (SRPSKE)
2 stamps, 2 sheets of 9, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Release date: April 28, 2023
Bulgaria
2 stamps, block of four, souvineer sheet, sheet of 8, booklet of 8
digital offset
Bulgarian embroidery as a symbol of national identity
The Tomova stamp has a number of border variations
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer: Luba Tomova
Release date: May 26, 2023
Croatia
2 stamps, FDC, cancel, 2 sheets of 12
offset
… white dove flying and carrying an olive branch and a visual metaphor of a tranquil, integrated society where people accept different cultures, inspired by a symbol of a Celtic love knot Hrvatska pošta – Webshop – EUROPA: PEACE – the highest value of humanity (epostshop.hr)
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer dove & FDC: Dubravka Zglavnik
Release date: May 9, 2023
Cyprus
2 stamps, 2 sheets of 8
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Release date: May 9, 2023
Czech Republic
1 stamp, sheet of 6, FDC, cancel
offset
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Layout: Kamil Knotek
Release date: May 9, 2023
Denmark
10 stamps, 2 stamps on souvenir sheet
offset
Together for peace
The EUROPA stamp is matched with Denmark’s 1970 release that celebrated the 25th Anniversary of Danish Liberation.
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Release date: May 4, 2023
Faroe Islands
1 stamp. booklets of 6, sheets of 20, FDC, cancel, maxi card
offset
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Release date: May 9, 2023
France
1 stamp, sheets of 15, cancel
offset
Layout and cancel design: Ségolène Derudder
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Release date: May 5, 2023
Georgia
Gibraltar
2 stamps, souvenir sheet, 2 FDCs, cancel, presentation pack
Offset Lithography
Peace is a concept of societal friendship and harmony in the absence of hostility and violence. In a social sense, peace is commonly used to mean a lack of conflict (such as war) and freedom from fear of violence between individuals or groups. .Throughout history, leaders have used peacemaking and diplomacy to establish a type of behavioral restraint that has resulted in the establishment of regional peace or economic growth through various forms of agreements or peace treaties. Such behavioral restraint has often resulted in the reduced conflict, greater economic interactivity, and consequently substantial prosperity. NEW – Europa 2023 PEACE | Stamps | 2023 | Gibraltar Philatelic Bureau (gibraltar-stamps.com)
Designer: Stephen Perera
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Release date: March 30, 2023
Greece
2 stamps, FDC, cancel, numbered packs (300 issud), booklets
polychrome offset
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer: Marina Lassithiotaki
Release date: March 30, 2023
Greenland
2 stamps, Stamp Booklet, 2 sheets of 10), 3 FDCs, cancel
offset
One of the motifs is a shared one used by all participating postal service.
Designers:
Stamp one: Linda Bos and Runa Egilsdottir, A Designers’ Collective
Luxembourg artists Bos and Egilsdottir’s design is influenced by the traditional Celtic Love Knot. Their artwork will be featured on all participating EUROPA entries for 2023.
Stamp two: Martin Brandt Hansen
Greenlandic born artist Martin Brandt Hansen was picked to create this year’s EUROPA stamp for Tusass Greenland.
Release date: May 30, 2023
Guernsey
6 stamps – more images coming
“The concept for the Guernsey stamps is everyone on earth being at peace with each other and they have been designed so that the symbols of peace on earth are being viewed from space.” Bridget Yabsley, head of philatelic at Guernsey Post
- 56p: The dove has been a symbol of peace and innocence for thousands of years in many different cultures and is depicted with arms embracing the world.
- 79p: The handshake is a symbol of friendship and harmony.
- 87p: The astronauts are non-gender with no political/racial bias; they embrace one another to represent peace and harmony.
- £1.21: The EUROPA winning stamp design represents and depicts the theme. It was inspired by the Celtic Love Knot symbol, with interlocking hearts. The colour palette illustrates all the nations in the world.
- £1.39: In the 1950s, a symbol was designed for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), a group at the forefront of the peace movement in the UK. It has become an almost universal peace symbol used in many different versions worldwide.
- £1.50: The world depicting environmental elements all living in harmony and peace.
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Release date: May 10, 2023
Hungary
2 stamps, souvenir sheet of 4, FDC, cancel
offset
The Hungarian design features a girl hugging a dove, the symbol of peace and freedom. The girl’s smile and embrace together express that peace and reconciliation between people strengthen relationships and communities. HUNGARIAN STAMPS 14/2023
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer: Boglárka Nádi
Release date: May 9, 2023
Ireland
2 stamps, FDC, cancel, 2 sheets of 8
lithography
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer: Ailbhe Phelan
Release date: May 9, 2023
Italy
stamp, Philatelic card, folder (postcard, illustrative bulletin, stamp, 1 personalized envelope & block stamps), postcard, FDC, cancel,
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Release date: May 9, 2023
Jersey
2 stamps, souvenir sheet
lithography
Jersey artist Ron Mills created the first stamp: “The three ideals of love, unity and hope are represented in the design by the hands of a woman, a man and a child, blended to create the shape of a dove. The smaller child’s hand, used to represent the dove’s tail feathers, signifies hope for the future of mankind.” Jersey Post Apr. 5, 2023 press release.
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer: Ron Mills
Ron Mills’ artwork will be familiar to collectors of Jersey stamps. He also designed 2022 100 Years of the Jersey Island Cricket Club, Jèrriais, the Traditional Language of Jersey and the Harvest of the Sea Post and Goes
Release date: May 9, 2023
Kosovo
1 stamp, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
offset
Kosovo opted to issue a unique stamp and didn’t use the Peace Knot design. No designer was listed.
Designer: Kosovo Post
Release date: May 9, 2023
Latvia
2 stamps, FDC, cancel, 2 sheets of 10
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer: Indrek Ilves
Release date: May 9, 2023
Liechtenstein
2 stamps, 3 FDCs, cancel, 2 sheets of 12, 2 maxicards
offset
Hopeful
Liechtenstein’s competition entry designed by Isabella Gassner under the title “Hopeful”… will be issued at the same time as a second commemorative stamp.Their motive is to renew the hope for peace. The colorful motif depicts a child carrying the fragile earth as a balloon while holding a lollipop in his other hand, symbolizing the taste of peace. The girl looks into a peaceful future, where a colorful rainbow and a dove of peace are waiting for her.
2nd stamp issue of 09 May / 05 June 2023 (philatelie.li)
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer: Isabella Gassner
Release date: May 9, 2023
Lithuania
1 stamp, FDC, cancel, sheets of 10
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Release date: May 9, 2023
Luxembourg
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
high-resolution offset
Designers Peace Knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Release date: June 5, 2023
Madeira
1 stamp, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel, maxi card
offset
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer: Undesign/Helder Soares
Souvenir sheet artist: Pedro Ferreira
Release date: May 9, 2023
Malta
1 stamp, booklet, sheets of 10, FDC, presentation pack
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Release date: May 9, 2023
Moldova
2 stamps, FDC, cancel, 2 sheets of 10
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer: Eugeniu Verebceanu
Release date: April 28, 2023
Montenegro
1 stamp, FDC, cancel, sheets of 8
Singing about peace, Montenegrin poet VitoMir Vito Nikolic said:
Sometimes a strange desire catches me.
I bought a postcard and wrote:
“It’s good: the post offices work, there’s no war…”
And nothing more.
Europe PEACE – humanity’s greatest value – postacg.me
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer: Romana Pehar
Release date: May 9, 2023
Netherlands
1 stamp, prestige booklet, FDC, cancel, sheet of 6
lithography
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer: Bart de Haas
… graphic designer Bart de Haas … incorporated the design motif of Post Luxembourg into the Dutch stamps and gave it his own twist with, among other things, the typography and the interpretation of the sheet edge. The use of the work of other designers was not difficult with this motif, says De Haas. “Commissioned by PostNL, I had also made a proposal for the design motif. Our entry and that of Post Luxembourg were very similar. They both had a predominantly graphic character, with the same principles as connection, multicoloredness and universal values. There were also similarities in the design language, such as the diagonal orientation with infinite knots, hands and heart shapes. Even the color palette was almost the same.” Vrede, de hoogste waarde van de mensheid (eerstedagenvelop nr. 861) (postnl.nl)
Release date: May 9, 2023
North Macedonia
2 stamps, 2 sheets of 9
offset lithography
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Release date: May 10, 2023
Norway
1 stamp, maxi card, gold FDC, FDC, cancel, sheetlet of 5
offset
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer: Jørn O. Jøntvedt
Release date: May 9, 2023
Portugal
1 stamp, souvenir sheet, maxi crd, 2 FDCs, cancel
offset
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer: Undesign/Helder Soares
Souvenir sheet artist: Pedro Ferreira
Release date: May 9, 2023
Romania
2 stamps, 2 mini sheets of 4, souvenir sheet of 8, 2 full sheets of 32, souvenir folder, FDC, cancel
offset
The concept brings together the image of the sunflower, symbol of Flower Power, representing the peace movement of the 1960s as a protest against the Vietnam War, and the universal messenger and symbol of peace: the dove. The yellow petals of the sunflower are personified as doves, which in a directed action extract the seeds of the flower to create the image of an earth globe. The bright yellow of the doves’ plumage symbolically emanates the light of the beneficent sun. Europa 2023 PEACE – The Highest Value of Humanity – Romfilatelia – O lume intr-un timbru
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer: Mihai Criste
Release date: May 9, 2023
San Marino
1 stamp, sheets of 12, cancel
offset
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Release date: May 9, 2023
Serbia
2 stamps, FDC, cancel, 2 sheets of 8
The motif on the second stamp of the issue is a vision of peace as the highest value of humanity, as an original artistic solution of every postal operator, so the motif on the 120 dinar stamp and the FDC envelope is the White dove of peace, an artistic solution by the world-famous artists from Serbia, the Zamurović brothers. The white dove is a universally recognizable symbol of peace that emerges with an olive branch from the dark forest, symbolizing all the security challenges of modern humanity, bringing hope that global peace, as a universal and highest human value, is still possible.
Commemorative editions – 2023 – eFilatelia (posta.rs)
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designers: The Zamurović brothers
The Wild and Wondrous World of the Zamurovic Brothers (adobe.com)
Release date: May 9, 2023
Slovensko
1 stamp, FDC, cancel, maxicard, booklet of 6
offset
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer: Daniela Olejníková
Release date: May 9, 2023
Spain
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Release date: May 9, 2023
Sweden
5 stamps, FDC, cancel
offset
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Typography: Carina Länk
Design domestic stamps: Jesús Verona
Verona is a book illustrator based in Stockholm. He uses a combination of pen, pencil and computer techniques to create his artwork. Previous stamps include 2020 Active Leisure and 2014 Among Berries and Leaves.
Release date: April 27, 2023
Switzerland
2 stamps, FDC, cancel
Offset
the olive branch, a cross-cultural symbol of peace that goes back many centuries. The complementary colour composition of the hand-drawn illustration gives the branch a special vibrancy. The hands holding it aloft with their combined strength are an emblem of our collective effort to achieve a better world, and the stamp symbolizes the importance of peace as the highest value of humanity. EUROPA – Peace: the highest value of humanity | Swiss Post
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer Olive branch: Elisa Debora Hofmann, Binz
Release date: May 2, 2023
Türkiye
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
offset
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Release date: May 9, 2023
Ukraine
2 stamps, sheets of 6, postcard, FDC, cancel
Peace, Victory, Ukraine
For every Ukrainian today, not only Peace, but also Victory is extremely important – these are the values for which we are fighting each on our own front. Ukrainian defenders are regaining our territories on the battlefield, and the rest of Ukrainians on the information field are fighting for independence, national identity, European values. This was the leitmotif for the Ukrainian postage stamp by Maria Suslova, which depicts a girl with a dove. This work took 2nd place in the PostEurop competition. “Peace is the highest value of humanity”: Ukrposhta announces the release of a new postage stamp
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer: Maria Suslova
Release date:
Vatican
2 stamps
offset
More images coming of cancel and FDC
First image shows Pope Francis holding a Ukrainian flag
Designers Peace knot: Linda Bos / Runa Egilsdottir, Esch-sur-Alzette
Designer Pope Francis: Vatican Post
Release date: May 16, 2023
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