Thid issye honours Tommy Douglas, the father of universal medicare in Canada. The stamp marks the 50th anniversary of the passing of Saskatchewan’s 1962 Medical Care Insurance Act.

Tommy Douglas was born in Scotland in 1904 and came to Canada with his family in 1910 and settled in Winnipeg. Growing up poor, he developed an infection that would have cost him his leg had his father not met a generous surgeon who agreed to treat Tommy for free, provided his students could observe. Through this experience, he realized the need for all to have access to medical care.

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published July 18th, 2012

The City of Caloocan is one of the cities and municipalities that represent the Metro Manila region in the Philippines. Also known as the “Makasaysayang Lungsod” (Historic City). It was the center of activities for the Katipunan, the secret militant society that launched the Philippine Revolution during the Spanish occupation of the Philippines. It was in a house in Caloocan where concealed meetings were held by Andres Bonifacio and his men, and it was within its confines where the “Unang Sigaw” took place.

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published July 13th, 2012

The Olympic Games London 2012 will open in London on July 27 and close on August 12. These Games will conclude the 30th Olympiad of the modern era. Over the course of 19 days, thousands of athletes from around the globe will compete in 26 fields, in 39 different sports and in 34 separate venues. 2012 is a special year for Israeli Olympic sports as it marks the 60th anniversary of the Israeli Olympic delegation, which first participated in the 1952 games in Helsinki, the 40th anniversary of the murder of 11 Israeli Olympic athletes at the 1972 Games in Munich and the 20th anniversary of Israel’s first Olympic medals, won in Barcelona 1992.

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published July 2nd, 2012

This stamp is to welcome the 30th Summer Olympic Games, the greatest sporting event in the world, by issuing stamps. The commemorative stamp series in two denominations were designed by graphic artist Ágnes Berta and printed by the State Printing Company. In keeping with tradition the artist immortalised a moment from two branches of sport on the Olympic stamps, swimming and kayaking. The stamp series will be published on 22 June 2012, the official day that Hungarian Olympic participants take their oath, and a few days later, on 25 June, their ceremonial launch will take place in the Hungarian House of Sport.

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published July 2nd, 2012

The Book of Exodus chapter 28 describes how to prepare the High Priest’s holy garments, including the most magnificent of all, the Breastplate, Choshen.  “And thou shalt make a breastplate of judgment, the work of the skilful workman; like the work of the ephod thou shalt make it: of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, shalt thou make it. Four-square it shall be and double: a span shall be the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof. And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, four rows of stones: a row of carnelian, topaz, and smaragd shall be the first row; and the second row a carbuncle, a sapphire, and an emerald; and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; and the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper; they shall be enclosed in gold in their settings. And the stones shall be according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, every one according to his name, they shall be for the twelve tribes” (Exodus 28, 15-21).

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published July 1st, 2012

The Jersey branch of the Men of the Trees was formed in 1937 and in 2008, it changed its name to Jersey Trees for Life.  Now in its 75^th year, the organisation’s main objectives remain the same: to encourage the protection, preservation and planting of trees throughout the island and to foster within the community an appreciation of trees for their amenity, ecology and other values.

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published July 1st, 2012

This stamp issue is the third in the Colonial Heritage series, commemorating Australia’s philatelic past. Book-ending the stamps of the colonial period, it features a reworking of Australia’s fi rst postage stamp design, “Sydney View” (1850), and one of its last in the colonial period, “Hobart”, from the Tasmanian pictorial issue (1899-1900). Created some 50 years apart, the scenes featured in the original designs serve very different purposes, each linked to its specifi c historical moment.

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published June 27th, 2012

Tipped to be the highlight of Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant on June 3 is being marked by a prestigious miniature sheet produced by Isle of Man Post Office.The Thames will be brought alive with clanging bells, tooting horns and piercing whistles and recalling both its Royal heritage and its heyday as a working river. When the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant takes place, just six weeks before the London Olympic Games, it will showcase one of the largest flotillas ever assembled on the Thames and the biggest collection of historic vessels.

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published June 23rd, 2012

International Eucharistic Congresses are staged every four years and was last staged in Ireland in 1932. The theme of the 50th Congress is “The Eucharist: Communion with Christ and one another”.

The aim of the Congress is to promote an awareness of the central place of the Eucharist in the life and

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published June 21st, 2012

Eldest daughter and heir to Prince Antoine I of Monaco, Louise-Hippolyte Grimaldi married Jacques de Goyon de Matignon in 1715.

Recognised as Prince of Monaco under the name Jacques I on his wife’s death, he remaind regent during

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published June 17th, 2012

The UN General Assembly adopted a Resolution agreeing to hold the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012. Also referred to as “Rio+20″ or Earth Summit 20, the conference will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 20-22 June 2012 to mark the 20th anniversary of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro, and the 10th anniversary of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg.

The objectives of the Conference are to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development; to assess the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development; and to address new and emerging challenges.

The Conference will focus on two specific themes:

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published June 17th, 2012