Europa 2026 - united in diversity 1,20

Description

Common history, shared joy

2026 marks the 70th anniversary of EUROPA stamps. As has been the case in previous years, PostEurop representatives have decided on a joint issue for this special occasion instead of individual motifs in each country – with the open theme being "70^th anniversary of EUROPA stamps. United in…"
The 53 members of PostEurop were invited to submit their proposals as part of a competition. As a founding member, Luxembourg’s participation was a matter of course. The competition sought expressive designs that illustrate unity and cooperation between European countries, emphasise values such as integrity, collaboration, diversity, creativity, innovation, uniqueness and passion, and reflect Europe’s rich history and diverse culture.
At the end of 2024, POST Philately, in collaboration with Design Friends asbl, organised a competition for graphic designers in Luxembourg to submit their proposals. A jury selected Jill Els’ motif – a modern dove that symbolises both the tradition of written correspondence and the idea of peace. This motif went on to take third place in the European competition.
The second stamp of the EUROPA series is the winning design of the international competition, designed by Klaus Welp (Finland), whose multi-layered interpretation presents the theme via an abstract language of colour and form.
In addition to the EUROPA series, POST Philately also issues Marc Wilmes's (jury's prize in Luxembourg) design, which creatively integrates and combines the various alphabets used in Europe.