Azernews.Az

The 21st Universal Postal Union (UPU) Stamp Competition for 2026 has officially launched, featuring an international display of contemporary stamps from various countries, AzerNEWS reports.

The competition is organized in an exhibition format: stamps issued in recent years by UPU member countries are presented at international philately exhibitions, and visitors can vote for their favorite country stands using QR codes.

The first showcase took place at the Dubai 2026 World Stamp Exhibition.

Azerbaijan was represented by Azerpost LLC, part of the AZCON Holding group, exhibiting its modern stamps. The Azerbaijani stand featured releases commemorating the 165th anniversary of the Caspian Sea Shipping Company, the 65th birthday of Ujal Haqverdiyev, and the 200th anniversary of Mirza Gadim Iravani, along with other issues reflecting the country's history and national identity.

The exhibition also hosted business meetings between UPU member countries and partner organizations. Sitara Huseynova, Head of the Stamp Department at Azerpost and Chairperson of the World Association for the Development of Philately (WADP), attended the meetings, where discussions focused on expanding international philatelic cooperation, promoting modern stamps, and exploring partnership opportunities.

Notably, stamps presented as part of the 21st UPU Competition will continue to be showcased throughout 2026 at prestigious international philately exhibitions in the USA, China, the United Kingdom, and Monaco.