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The CPA was founded in 1911 as the Empire Parliamentary Association and its affairs were administered by the United Kingdom Branch. The original member Branches were Australia, Canada, Newfoundland, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Evolving with the Commonwealth, the CPA in 1948 adopted its present name, changed its rules to enable all member Branches to participate in the Association’s management, and established a separate Secretariat to manage its affairs.

Today’s resurgence of parliamentary democracy is evident in the growth of the CPA. In the last decade, more than 50 new Parliaments and Legislatures joined or rejoined the CPA.  Active CPA Branches now exist in 175 national, state, provincial and territorial Parliaments, with a total membership of approximately 17,000 Parliamentarians.

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published June 28th, 2011

On 21 June 2011 the world première of the cantata The Bards of Wales – Beirdd Cymru by Karl Jenkins will be performed in English at the Palace of Arts. The everlasting message of János Arany’s well-known ballad is that there always have been and always will be people who dare to speak up for freedom even if it means risking their lives. The new cantata praises human bravery and civil courage in the face of tyranny and all forms of oppression. Karl Jenkins, who was born in Wales and is today the most performed contemporary British composer in the world, will conduct the piece himself. This one-time star of the Montreux Jazz Festivals in the 1970s will first appear in Hungary with his new, large scale symphonic work inspired by Arany’s ballad. A 170 strong mixed choir of Welsh, English and Hungarian singers together with renowned soloists will sing at the world première in Budapest in English accompanied by the MÁV Symphony Orchestra. Source: mu-pa.hu

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published June 28th, 2011

New Zealand Post recognises that just as their native endangered flightless birds need our help in order to thrive, so  do the children that attend Health Camps around the country. It is for this reason that three of them feature in 2011’s Children’s Health stamps.

New Zealand Post is proud to lend a hand once again with the 2011 Children’s Health stamp issue. Te Puna Whaiora – the New Zealand Foundation for Child and Family Health and Development – specialises in helping at-risk children aged five to 12 to overcome barriers to healthy lifestyles. The 10-cent surcharge on each stamp in this issue goes directly to Te Puna Whaiora’s seven Children’s Health Camps throughout New Zealand, each playing a crucial role in helping children and their families in times of need.

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published June 27th, 2011

There are 125 species of tubenose birds, which include the petrels and albatrosses. The four species illustrated on this set of stamps represent three species of fulmarine petrel and one species of diving petrel. These birds inhabit an oceanic environment, feeding on the abundant food supply present in the Southern Ocean. They nest and breed on many islands in the Southern Ocean, including South Georgia, the three species of fulmarine petrel also breed on the South Sandwich Islands.

60p – The southern giant petrel Macronectes giganteus along with the northern giant petrel Macronectes halli is the largest of the fulmarine petrels. It is an exceedingly powerful and aggressive bird, but none the less beautiful. The vulture of the region, the males feed on the carcasses of seals and penguins and it is a truly remarkable site watching them feed in large numbers. Dominant birds will repeatedly fight and knock other birds out of the way in order to get access to a carcass. Meanwhile, smaller skuas patiently wait at a safe distance sneaking any opportunity to dive in and grab a morsel of food while the giant petrels are squabbling. While drawing a dead giant petrel found on South Georgia examination of its bill revealed how incredibly sharp and powerful the cutting edge is, the perfect instrument for tearing flesh.

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published June 27th, 2011

Royal Mail is issuing a miniature stamp sheet and prestige stamp book on 9 September 2011, as a tribute to the pioneering aviators who made philatelic history through the UK’s first aerial post service a century ago.

Gustav Hamel’s 15-minute flight from Hendon Aerodrome to Windsor Castle on 9 September 1911 was part of the celebrations of the coronation of King George V.  It was the first of 16 aerial post flights carrying commemorative postage to mark the coronation.  The flights took place until 26 September 1911 and are recognised as the world’s first scheduled airmail service.

Now exactly 100 years on, Royal Mail marks the event with a miniature sheet, featuring a border that replicates the design of an original publicity poster for the inaugural flight.  The four-pane prestige stamp book written by Peter Lister, President of the British Air Mail Society includes a pane comprising four 50p Windsor Castle stamps, re-issued from the 2005 set of high-value definitives stamps printed by intaglio.

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published June 26th, 2011

Marking the 100 years of the Royal Australian Navy this ‘then and now’ stamp issue features the Australian Navy’s first flagship, battle cruiser HMAS Australia (I) and modern missile frigate HMAS Sydney (IV).

From settlement in 1788 to 1859, Australia depended on units detached from the Royal Navy based in Sydney to provide naval defence. In 1859, Australia was established as a separate British Naval Station and, until 1913, a squadron of the Royal Navy was maintained in Australian waters. This Australian unit was to be paid for and controlled by the Australian Commonwealth and was to be eventually manned by Australian personnel.

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published June 26th, 2011

It was on the 16^th November 2010 following a great deal of public speculation that an announcement was made by Clarence House confirming that Prince William, oldest son of Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales had become engaged to his long time girl friend Miss Catherine (Kate) Middleton.

William and Catherine were both 28 years old when the announcement was made and met whilst students at the University of St Andrews. Until the announcement, Catherine, a Fine Arts Graduate worked for her parents company whilst William graduated as a Helicopter Pilot in 2010. As Flight Lieutenant Wales he has joined RAF Search and Rescue which celebrates its 70^th Anniversary in 2011 and will co-pilot Sea King helicopters as part of a four-man crew based at RAF Valley in Anglesey on the north-west coast of Wales.

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published June 25th, 2011

Did you know that more than 1.6 billion of the world’s people depend on forests for their livelihood? Or that worldwide, the forest industry is responsible for $270 billion in trade, annually? In Canada, forests are among the largest and most diverse in the world—and have long been central to their economy.

Canadian forests cover 41% of the country’s land mass, which amount to roughly 10% of the world’s forest. In addition to moderating climate and filtering the air we breathe, they also provide a home for countless wildlife species.

Given the importance of forests to their economy, their environment and their well-being, the essential role they play in countries around the world and the way in which issues surrounding the future of the forest unite us globally, it comes as no surprise that the United Nations has declared 2011 as International Year of Forests. This global initiative, launched in February during the 9th session of the United Nation’s forum on forests, seeks to “raise awareness and strengthen the sustainable forest management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests for the benefit of current and future generations.”

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published June 25th, 2011

The World Online Philatelic Agency “WOPA” has had the latest addition to their state of the art website. Denmark stamps are now available at FACE VALUE from their site.

WOPA is the only site worldwide where collectors can purchase stamps and collectibles from a choice of countries in one website, with one payment, paying the FACE VALUE of stamps or collectibles.The WOPA website has been designed to be user-friendly, informative and enjoyable. Above all, the aim is to offer stamp collectors a pleasant online experience.

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published June 24th, 2011

The Republic of San Marino have  issued a stamp dedicated to the Centenary of the foundation of Brescia Football Club – Brescia Calcio: a philatelic issue to commemorate a historic event of major importance.
In 1911 Brescia football club was founded out of a merger between the football associations led by Franco Apollonio: namely, Victoria, Unione Sportiva Bresciana and Gimnasium.
The first Brescia football club team was entrusted to the technical guidance of Ettore Bacchelli.

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published June 24th, 2011

WOPA has launched the thematic section of their website this week. Collectors are now able to view stamps of the different countries participating in the World Online Philatelic Agency website by thematic in the different languages. The thematic section is very user friendly and displays the thematic stamp results in country order.

The World Online Philatelic Agency, commonly known in the philatelic business as WOPA continues to grow the number of countries and continues to improve the offers available to collectors of new issues on its website.

Denmark is the latest country to have joined the site although informed sources have said that several more major countries are ready to join the website shortly and therefore offer their stamps at FACE VALUE direct to collectors through WOPA.

We have heard from collectors that they are pleased to be able to buy stamps at FACE VALUE from several countries (read more)

published June 23rd, 2011