A commemorative stamp for the winner of the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize, Mr Martti Ahtisaari, former President of Finland, will be issued on 10 December. The stamp will be issued on the same date as the prize award.
The blue-tinted €0.80 stamp will bear a picture of Ahtisaari, his name and “Nobel 2008 Peace Prize” in four languages. The stamp was designed by Antti Raudaskoski. The photo used for the stamp was taken by Marja Airio (Lehtikuva). ”The stamp hints at the UN flag. Among the colours, you can find those of Finland,” explains the designer.
The stamp will be accompanied by a first day cover and postmark, also designed by Antti Raudaskoski. The FDC bears President Ahtisaari’s signature and a mention of the Nobel Prize. With the signature, the designer refers to the signing of peace treaties, and the colouring and composition of the FDC underlines the importance of the award. The first day postmark reads simply ”PAX”.
Stamps have been issued in the past for the Nobel Prize for Literature winner Frans Emil Sillanpää (1888–1964) and the winner of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry winner Artturi Ilmari Virtanen (1895–1973). Both stamps were issued in 1980. A silhouette of Finnish-born Nobel prizewinner for medicine Ragnar Granit (1900–1991) was on a Physiology stamp issued in 1989.
In 1997, a stamp was issued to mark President Ahtisaari’s 60th birthday. He served as President of Finland 1994–2000.
Further information:
Philatelic Centre, Director Markku Penttinen, Tel. + 358 400 421 999, email: markku.penttinen@posti.fi.
