Personalized postal stamp and postmark issued in commemoration of the 39th World Scout Conference

Personalized postal stamp and postmark issued in commemoration of the
39th World Scout Conference

Personalized postal stamp and postmark on cover fragment - 39th World Scout Conference

At the invitation of the Brazilian Post Office, Regional Paraná, I attended the opening ceremony of the 39th World Scout Conference, held in Curitiba, Parana State, Brazil.

Scouting is a movement of youth education, with global reach, which began in England in 1907 and has its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

There are currently more than 30 million children, youths and adults in 160 countries, internationally recognized by WOSM - ORGANIZATION OF WORLD SCOUT MOVEMENT.

In Brazil, Scouting began in 1910, brought from England to Rio de Janeiro by Brazilian Navy officers. Today, it has more than 70,000 active members in almost every Brazilian state, affiliated with the UEB - Union of Scouts of Brazil, the only entity affiliated with the WOSM and responsible for the practice of scouting in Brazil.

The World Conference is the "General Assembly" of the Scout movement. It is the highest organ of the world organization and meets every three years for a week, always in a different country. It is formed by all its members, who are the recognized national Scout organizations.

The aim of the conference is to promote the unity, the integrity and the development of the worldwide Scout movement. This is achieved through an structure organized to exchange ideas and information among its members, to formulate global policies, review and approve the reports and recommendations of the World Comittee and the bodies that manage the world organization, to elect the committee members worldwide, choosing locations for events, approve new members, set rates, approve constitutional amendments and other worldwide actions.

From 10 to 14 January 2011 the UEB - Union of Scouts of Brazil hosted the first World Scout Conference to happen in South America in the 100 years of Scouting, the 39th World Scout Conference.

The agenda for the opening ceremony, held at "Poty Floor", 9th floor of the Convention Center at the “Estação Shopping” Mall, in Curitiba City, Parana State, Brazil, was as follows:

19h30 Reception / Welcome

Poster of the 39th World Scout Conference.

Soon after my arrival at the event space, I went to the post office stand, which was decorated very nicely. There, I was received by Diogo, manager of the Philatelic Bureau in Curitiba, who, as everybody can see, was very well assisted.

Diogo, manager of the Philatelic Post Office Bureau in Curitiba, Amanda, an official of the “Marechal Deodoro” Post Office Bureau and Olga, a receptionist at the event.

I and part of the Brazilian post office team present at this event, Olga, Amanda, Therezinha, Antonio and Diogo

20h00 Commencement of the event

Opening of the 39th World Scout Conference

20h15 Entry of Flags / National Anthem

Entry of Flags

Performance of the National Anthem

20h35 Speeches

Candid shots of the speeches by Jorge Samek, Brazilian Director-General of Itaipu Binational, representing Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil and by Beto Richa, Governor of Paraná State.

20h50 Presentation of the Brazilian Chamber Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Paulo Torres

Moments of the presentation of the Brazilian Chamber Orchestra, who performed several Brazilian popular songs
On the screen, the power of the Iguazu Falls.

Final stage of the the presentation of the Brazilian Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Paulol Torres
On the screen, two symbols of the Paraná State, the tree "Pinheiro-do-Paraná" and the ITAIPU hydroelectric power plant, one of seven engineering wonders of the modern world, my passion, to which I devoted 27 years of my professional life.

After the the presentation of the orchestra, the Chairman of the 39th World Scout Conference, Paul Salamuni, gave a short "thank you" speech.

21h20 Personalized postal stamp and commerative postmark of the 39th World Scout Conference

Commemorativd Personalized Stamp Sheet - 39th World Scout Conference

Commemorativd Personalized Stamp - 39th World Scout Conference p

Commemorative postmark - 39th World Scout Conference

Starting the ceremony, Mr. Areovaldo Figueiredo, Acting Director of the Brazilian Post Office, Parana Branch, summoned the authorities invited to obliterate and sign the philatelic pieces that will integrate the collection at the Braszilian Post Office Museum.

The Acting Director of the Brazilian Post Office, Parana Branch in a brief speech about the meaning and importance of the personalized stamp in advertising the event. He also urged everybody present to visit the post office booth mounted on the display area of the event, to buy some stamps.

The Brazilian General-Director of Itaipu Binational obliterates and signs the philatelic piece.

Oscar V. Palmquist, a member of the World Scout Committee, Flávio Arns, Vice Governor of Parana and Jorge Samek, Brazilian General-Director of Itaipu Binational show the philatelic piece

I believe that the personalized stamp has an important role in the advertisement of Brazilian events, either social, cultural, touristic or cultural, and in the memorization of names and logos of corporations and other entities. When posting a letter, or any other kind of correspondence, we often send to distant places information about one of these aspects, contributing to the spread of information about Brazil. And, as it happens in this instance, if there is a commemorative postmark, the interest of philatelists, especially the thematic ones, is much more intense. I should point that the commemorative postmark is valid during a predetermined period and can be used in the obliteration of any stamp, which allows the preparation of philatelic items that will enrich the collection of thematic philatelists.

As an example of such a possibility, on the first day of issue, I mounted the following items, using the personalized stamp commemorating the event and, in another instance, a stamp that displays the Scouc symbol. The commemorative postmark was used, so strengthening the illustration of the theme (scoutism):

Cover mailed with the personalized stamp commemorating the 39th World Scout Conference, obliterated with the comemorative and date postmarks.

Cover mailed with various stamps (issued in 2002) composing the first non-commercial national rate, obliterated with the commemorative and date postmarks.
A detail of the stamp, that was issued in 2002, shows the symbol of Scoutism.

Maximum card as a result of a postal stamp issued in 2002 and commemorative postmark, all consistent with the image (detail), the universal symbol of Scouting.

>Maximum card as a result of a postal stamp issued in 2007 and commemorative postmark, all consistent with the image (detail), the universal symbol of Scouting.

21h30 Closure - Cocktail

I went to the Post Office stand and found that, although many of the scouts took the opportunity to have informal information exchanges, there was a large attendance in search of philatelic material.

Some instances of attendance at the postal booth

To end on a high note my participation in this event, I had the opportunity to meet a great philatelist of Santa Catarina, Luiz Salgado Klaes, which collects Scout thematic philately .

Luiz Salgado Klaes and Joao Alberto

At the risk of becoming repetitive, once again I applaud and express my admiration of the Parana Philatelic Post Office team who, with dedication and competence, helped to brighten this event, opening the field to a greater incentive to stamp collecting by the young scouts who, due to their education, training and moral principles, are certainly fertile harvest for the growth of interest in philately.