World Post Day 2024: Theme, Significance, History, Celebration

The world celebrates the World Post Day every year on October 9 to commemorate the establishment of Universal Postal Union (UPU) in the year 1874. The first World Post Day was observed in 1969 to create awareness of the important role that postal sector plays in our everyday life and has been celebrated with the same goal since then. Member countries all over the world observe the World Post Day with great enthusiasm.

World Post Day Date

Below mentioned are the upcoming dates for World Post Day for the next 4 years.

World Post Day Overview

Significance of World Post Day

Every year October 9 is observed as World Post Day to make people more aware of the importance of the postal sector. This special day reminds the significant role of postal sector in everyday lives of people and organizations and its contribution to the social and economic development of countries. The day also provides a platform to the member countries to undertake activities intended at generating awareness of post’s role and activities among the public and media on a national scale.

World Post Day also commemorates the formation of the Universal Postal Union in 1874. Celebration to highlight the significance of postal service takes place on this day.

History of World Post Day Celebration

In 1969, the UPU Congress declared the celebration of World Post Day to remind the world of the importance of postal service. October 9 was chosen as the day of observation as it commemorates the anniversary of formation of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 in Bern.

The proposal to celebrate this day was put forth by Shri Anand Mohan Narula, a member of the Indian delegation at the UPU Congress session held in Tokyo, Japan. The proposal was accepted with majority and it was decided that every year October 9 will be observed as World Post Day. The world’s first World Post Day was celebrated on October 9 1969.

What is Universal Postal Union?

The Universal Postal Union (or Union postale universelle) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that was established in 1874 by the Treaty of Bern. The union coordinates postal policies among member nations and also to the worldwide postal system.

Before UPU, every countries that exchanged mail had to negotiate a postal treaty with each other but with the UPU, postal services around the world have become more smooth, convenient and accessible. Now each member agrees to the same terms for conducting international postal exchange. The Universal Postal Union has its headquarter located in Bern, Switzerland.

World Post Day Celebration

World Post Day is celebrated in over 150 countries with events set around a theme set by UPU. Various seminars and activities are organized by the member countries of UPU in celebration of World Post Day. Many countries introduce their new postal products and services on this day. Many posts take this day as an opportunity to honor their employees who work hard every single day to keep postal services up and running 24/7. Prize distribution to the winners of UPU International Letter-Writing Competition is usually distributed on the World Post Day. Exhibitions of new stamps and World Post Day posters in post offices, mail centers and postal museums are also displayed on the occasion of this day. Conferences, seminars, workshops, cultural, sport and other recreational activities are also organized by posts on this day. Some postal administrations even issue special gifts such as T-shirts and badges to celebrate World Post Day.

World Post Day Theme

World Post Day Theme 2024: “150 years of enabling communication and empowering peoples across nations“

World Post Day 2023 theme: “Together for Trust: Collaborating for a safe and connected future”.

World Post Day celebration 2022: ‘Post for Planet’ and the UPU has also launched some poster with the theme for promotional purpose.

To further promote the day, every member country is entitled to 200 copies of the poster at no cost. For more posters, UPU can be contacted.

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