Celebrating World Post Day: Honoring Postal Services

World Post Day is celebrated each year on 9 October. The event was declared by the 1969 Universal Postal Congress in Tokyo as a means to mark the anniversary of the Universal Postal Union’s (UPU) creation in 1874.

Date and Significance

• World Post Day is celebrated annually on October 9.
• The date marks the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in 1874 in Bern, Switzerland.

History

• The event was officially declared World Post Day during the UPU Congress held in Tokyo, Japan, in 1969.
• The aim is to raise awareness about the role of postal services in people’s lives and to promote their contributions to global communication and development.

Global Participation

• Since its inception, countries worldwide have actively participated in World Post Day celebrations.
• The event serves as an opportunity for national postal services to engage with the public.

Impact on Society

• World Post Day emphasizes the importance of postal services in enhancing global communication, supporting economic growth, and fostering community connections.
• It also highlights the role of postal services in disaster relief, e-commerce, and bridging the digital divide.

Theme of 2024

• “150 years of enabling communication and empowering peoples across nations”

• This year’s World Post Day recognizes the UPU’s long standing achievements and reinforces its commitment to serve all peoples for the decades and centuries to come.
• The celebration of this historic milestone as we reflect on 150 years of progress and look toward a future where communication remains a driving force for peace, prosperity, and global understanding. 

How to Celebrate

• More than 150 countries around the world celebrate World Post Day each year in various ways. In some countries, it is recognised as a working holiday, where postal services remain operational but with special observances.
• Many postal services use this day to introduce or promote new products and services, while others take the opportunity to recognise and reward their employees for excellent service.
• To celebrate, countries organize a wide range of events, including philatelic exhibitions, the release of new stamps and special date cancellation marks.
• Other activities often include displaying World Post Day posters in public places like post offices, hosting open days at postal facilities and holding seminars, workshops and even cultural or recreational events. In addition, some postal administrations issue special souvenirs such as T-shirts and badges to commemorate the day.
• For countries that participate in the UPU International Letter-Writing Competition, national winners are often honored on October 9.

Universal Postal Union (UPU)

• Founded: 1874, making it the second oldest international organization in the world.
• Headquarters: Located in Berne, Switzerland.
• Comprises 192 member countries, making it a truly universal organization.
• It Serves as the main platform for cooperation among various players in the postal sector.
• In this way, the organization fulfills an advisory, mediating and liaison role, and provides technical assistance where needed. 
• It sets the rules for international mail exchanges and makes recommendations to stimulate growth in mail, parcel and financial services volumes and improve quality of service for customers.