January 24, 2022
Emirates 2022 World Stamp
Exhibition, the first international philatelic exhibition in the region, ended
with great success on Sunday, January 23, 2022. Held at the Dubai Exhibition
Centre, coinciding with Expo 2020 Dubai, the event featured more than 175
exhibits from 27 countries in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe, America,
and Oceania.
The international event was a major
step towards increasing positive collaborations and celebrating the richness of
culture and traditions. It highlighted the significance of postage stamps in
human history, with a majority of visitors being philatelists or numismatists.
The 175 framed exhibits competed for
best in class within ten categories. A
panel comprising of 20 judges evaluated the exhibits based on factors such as the
rarity of the exhibit, how the featured items were presented and the way the stamps
within their collection were described. Five exhibits were awarded with Large
Gold medals and seventeen exhibits were awarded Gold medals. Twenty large
vermeil and twenty-three vermeil, seventeen large silver, eleven silver, and
eleven bronze.
Two special awards were also
presented for the best overall GCC exhibit and best overall International
exhibit. The GCC award was coveted by Mr. Thomas Johansen, a resident of the
UAE for his “Muscat 1864 to1948” exhibit and Mr. Vit Vanicek from the
Czech Republic was awarded the best international award for his “Postal
History of Czech Lands (From the Beginning until 1867)” exhibit.
The event, which began on January
19, also featured insightful seminars by field experts. Two philatelic seminars
were held on the fourth day, with Charles J. G. Verge, board member of the
Canadian Philatelic Society, lead the first session on ‘Treatment, Scope, and
Development,’ followed by Colin Fraser, Partner Frasers, who talked about
‘Importance & Rarity’ during the second session.
Abdulla
Mohammed Alashram, Group CEO of Emirates Post Group, said: “The exhibition successfully
highlighted the importance and role of postage stamps in human advancement over
the years. The event has allowed us to showcase the postal history and
evolution of the global postal system, for which we would like to thank the postal
entities from the GCC and Arab countries who participated and the esteemed
speakers who shared their knowledge and provided valuable insights into the
world of philately. We would also like to express our gratitude to the commissioners
and jurors, exhibitors, dealers, and sponsors who equally contributed to the
success of the exhibition.”
“The
response towards the exhibition, which was held in conjunction with Expo 2020
Dubai, has been extremely positive and further enhances the UAE’s position as a
hub of cultural exchange and a celebration of the nation’s rich heritage and cultural
richness,” Alashram remarked.
The Emirates
2022 World Stamp Exhibition has left a profound mark in the world of tradition
and arts – setting the stage for more cultural events in the region.
