Italy Unveils Postage Stamps in Support of Ukraine
In Italy, four postage stamps in support of Ukraine were unveiled, created with the collaboration of contemporary Ukrainian artists. The announcement was made by the Ukrainian Ambassador to Italy, Yaroslav Melnyk, on Facebook.
"I want to express sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, as well as personally to Minister Adolfo Urso, for initiating the creation of this project aimed at supporting Ukraine and our people," stated Melnyk.
The stamps feature artworks by Ukrainian artists Katerina Lipovka, Serhii Smetankin, Yuriy Bander, and Sviatoslav Skorobohatov, selected through the competition "Ukrainian Artist for the Italian Stamp" organized by the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine. The depicted scenes include Kyiv's temples, Mariupol's theater, Lviv's square, and the port of Odesa.
"What we presented today is Italy's first release of postage stamps with an added value, and the proceeds from their sales will go towards supporting the Ukrainian people. This is a historic release that happens precisely at a time when the cities depicted on the stamps are experiencing powerful attacks from the Russian aggressor," stated Minister of Enterprises and of the Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso.
In 2022, Italy issued its first stamp in support of Ukraine, featuring the flags of both countries, dedicated to Ukrainian refugees. Previously, Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, expressed her country's readiness to contribute to the restoration of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral, which suffered from a missile strike by Russian occupying forces last weekend. Meloni also pledged to provide full support to Kyiv's accession to the EU, including assistance with reforms.
As a reminder, the Ukrainian postage stamp titled "Russian Warship, Gо ...!" received the highest award at the international "Asiago" prize ceremony. Created by Ukrainian artist Boris Grom, the stamp competed against 35 participating countries for the "philatelic Oscar," celebrating its 53rd anniversary this year. The jury traditionally includes publishers of philatelic literature, artists, philatelists, parliamentarians, and government officials from Italy. The award ceremony took place in Piazza della Viaggiato in Vicenza, with the honor presented to Ukrainian Consul General in Milan, Andrii Kartysh.