Post Luxembourg is issuing a new series of stamps on March 12^th 2024

First of all, Post Luxembourg will honor the 100 years of diplomatic relations between Luxembourg and Hungary by issuing a joint souvenir sheet.

Moreover, a special stamp will be based on the Fédération Nationale de la Mutualité Luxembourgeoise which was founded on the 6^th of July 1924 and will celebrate its 100^th birthday this year.

A second special stamp will glory the 75 years of NATO.

Furthermore, POST LUXEMBOURG will issue a special stamp based on the commemoration of Madeleine Frieden-Kinnen, the first female Minister to serve in a Luxembourg government.

Another special stamp will illustrate 15 years of Design Friends, a non-profit organization which promotes and inspires enthusiasm for and interest in design.

Last but not least, 15 years of Fondation EME will be honored by a special stamp. The foundation places solidarity and inclusion using music as a universal language.

Block – Joint issue with Hungary

100 years of diplomatic relations between Luxembourg and Hungary

2024 marks 100 years of diplomatic relations between Luxembourg and Hungary. To celebrate the centennial, POST Philately and the Hungarian post office, Magyar Post, are issuing a joint souvenir sheet.

Hungary is a parliamentary republic consisting of 19 counties and the capital city of Budapest. It is a landlocked country in Central Europe with a surface area 93,036 km2 and around 9.6 million inhabitants. Hungary has been a NATO member since 1999 and joined the European Union on 1 May 2004 as part of the eastward enlargement.

The country has a rich tradition in the fields of music, art, literature and science. For example, numerous Hungarian composers have made a significant contribution to the history of European music. These include Franz Liszt, Franz Lehár and Béla Bartók.

In the past, POST Philately has issued special stamps on cultural and historic themes with a connection to Hungary. Examples of such subjects include Franz Liszt, whom we mentioned above, and Sigismund of Luxembourg, Holy Roman Emperor, who also became King of Hungary on 31 March 1387.

The joint souvenir sheet marking the anniversary of diplomatic relations features two landscape paintings by Mihály von Munkácsy entitled “Poros út II” (Dusty Road II), originating after 1874, and “Legelésző csorda” (Grazing Cows) from 1882.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Special stamp

100 years of the FNML

The Fédération Nationale de la Mutulité Luxembourgeoise (the “FNML”, the national federation of Luxembourg mutual societies) was founded on 6 July 1924 and officially registered on 9 August 1925 with the magistrate’s court in Luxembourg City.

The original idea behind the establishment of companies based on solidarity and mutual assistance dates from the middle of the 19th century, before the introduction of a compulsory, universal social security system. At the time, industrial workers, particularly in the iron mines in the south of the country, ran a high risk of injury and even fatal accidents. Thus, at the beginning of the 20th century – prior to the establishment of trade unions – mutual societies provided assistance for the sick and injured, and material support for surviving relatives in the event of fatal accidents. This is how mutual societies came into existence, and they still operate today, offering provision, solidarity and mutual assistance for their members, whilst also working to improve living conditions. They play a complementary role in the compulsory state social security system which has since been developed. They operate independently but are subject to supervision by the Ministry of Social Security.

The FNML is the federation which represents all participating mutual societies and develops joint services and benefits that are available to all members of the individual societies.

In 1956, the FNML founded the Caisse chirurgicale mutualiste, which merged with the Caisse dentaire to become the Caisse Médico-Complémentaire Mutualiste (CMCM) in 1975, which is the largest mutual health insurance company in Luxembourg today.

In 1956, the FNML had around 50,000 members; today, this figure has risen to over 300,000 members in almost 40 mutual societies.

Since 2022, the headquarters of the FNML is located in the new Maison de la Mutualité Luxembourgeoise in Luxembourg-Hollerich.                                                                                                       

 

Special stamp

75 years of NATO

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is a military alliance founded in 1949 against the backdrop of the Cold War by 12 countries, including Luxembourg. Its main aim was to guarantee the freedom and security of its member states in Europe and North America.

The principal decision-making body for NATO missions is the NAC (North Atlantic Council) located in Brussels, and the military commander of operations is the SACEUR (Supreme Allied Commander Europe). NATO’s missions today focus primarily on managing crises, developing partnerships and continuing to ensure joint security.

Key milestones in NATO’s history were the accession of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1955, the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, and the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact – the collective defence treaty between the Soviet Union and its allies – which represented a significant change in the geopolitical landscape.

NATO’s tasks were adjusted to these new circumstances: the collective security of Europe and North America based on dialogue, cooperation and defence capabilities lies at the core of the new strategy. Accession talks began with countries in Central and Eastern Europe in 1994.

Thereafter, fighting in Kosovo in 1999 and the war on terrorism in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2021 were among NATO’s most important operations.

Today there are 31 member countries of NATO. They are collectively preparing for the new challenges of our times, such as cyber and hybrid warfare. The ability to adjust constantly to new circumstances and strong, decisive action are the key to strengthening the alliance and making a relevant contribution to security in the world.

 

Special stamp

Commemoration of Madeleine Frieden-Kinnen

Madeleine Frieden-Kinnen (*4 October 1915 in Esch/Alzette) was the first female Minister to serve in a Luxembourg government.

After attending school in Ettelbruck and Luxembourg City, Madeleine Kinnen studied literature in Dijon, Paris, Munich and Leuven. In 1946, she married the Director of the National Library of Luxembourg, Pierre Frieden, who was later Education Minister and then Prime Minister of Luxembourg until 1959 for the Chrëschtlech-Sozial Vollekspartei (CSV, Christian Social Party). Her husband – who was 22 years older than her – died in 1959.

During her husband’s political career, Frieden-Kinnen worked in Catholic associations such as the ACFL (Catholic Action of the Women of Luxembourg), of which she was president from 1960 to 1966. She was also politically active in the CSV, founding the Christian social women’s organisation in 1953, and was elected national president of the women’s section of the CSV in 1966.

In 1967, there was a cabinet reshuffle following a government crisis, and Madeleine Frieden-Kinnen was appointed Permanent Secretary for Youth, Family and Education, becoming the first female member of a Luxembourg government. In 1968 came another government crisis, this time followed by elections. Frieden-Kinnen was appointed Minister for Family, Youth and Social Solidarity and Minister for Culture in the new CSV-DP government.

After the appearance of an article in the socialist newspaper, Tageblatt, in August 1969, accusing her of improper behaviour, and the subsequent press campaign, Frieden-Kinnen resigned in 1972. However, she stressed that the accusations against her were unfounded. She withdrew from politics and devoted herself to development aid in Africa.

After the death of Madeleine Frieden-Kinnen on 8 February 1999, a statement from her was read out in the Luxembourg parliament, in which she once again categorically denied the accusations made against her in 1972.

Special stamp

15 years of Design Friends

Design Friends is a non-profit organisation founded in April 2009 to foster, promote and inspire enthusiasm for and interest in design in all of its various disciplines and to provide a forum for like-minded people. It is deliberately geared towards anyone who is interested in design and in discovering new aspects to it, and not solely towards professional designers.

Design is omnipresent; good design is often timeless. It goes far beyond pure aesthetics; it is functional, innovative and can improve many everyday situations, be it a comfortable and attractive piece of furniture, an informative and exciting exhibition, a clear and highly visible display panel, or discreet and pleasant ambient sounds.

In the past 15 years, Design Friends has organised more than 70 lectures in Luxembourg, covering a diverse range of topics and interesting speakers. Almost 40 sectors – ranging from product design, graphic design, car design through to fashion design, as well as topics such as design research, bio-design, food design and sound design – have been presented by experts from 14 different countries. A monographic catalogue was produced for each conference, documenting in images and text the work, philosophy and approach of each of the designers.

Over the years, the volunteers at Design Friends have also organised film screenings and portfolio exhibitions, initiated educational projects, and participated in five thematic exhibitions in Luxembourg.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Special stamp

15 years of Fondation EME

Live better together through music

Fondation EME was founded in January 2009 at the initiative of the Luxembourg Philharmonic. It is independent, and all projects that it initiates and realises are financed exclusively through donations. The foundation places solidarity and inclusion at the heart of its mission, using music as a universal language to enable all people to live better together.

Fondation EME is committed to inclusion and access to music. Through the diversity of its programmes and participating musicians, it aims to include in Luxembourg’s cultural life people with specific needs and anyone who is socially isolated. In order to achieve this, the foundation promotes cultural activities in social institutions. It is also committed to making the cultural and musical landscape in Luxembourg accessible to those who are otherwise excluded from it. Its programmes therefore exist at the intersection of social work, music and cultural diversity.

In 2023, thanks to the commitment of exceptional musicians, Fondation EME was able to organise around 800 events for 17,000 people in over 200 institutions in Luxembourg. It organised concerts in Luxembourg care facilities, music workshops for people with special needs, and concert tickets for refugees. In close cooperation with the management teams of the relevant institutions, it supplements and supports their programmes and work.