Here is a nice cover from Pakistan depicting Rainbow in the background …with Polo Free Pakistan stamp issued on 10 October 2009. I just wish to have this beautiful cover for my collection on Rainbow…..
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The 25th International Congress of Vexillology
The International Federation of Vexillological Associations (FIAV) is an international federation of 55 regional, national, and multinational associations and institutions across the globe that study Vexillology, which FIAV defines in its constitution as "the creation and development of a body of knowledge about flags of all types, their forms and functions, and of scientific theories and principles based on that knowledge."
Since 1969, FIAV has sponsored the biennial International Congresses of Vexillology (ICV). Previous Congresses have been held in Muiderberg (1965),Zürich and Rüschlikon (1967), Boston (1969), Turin (1971), London (1973), IJsselmeer (1975), Washington, D.C. (1977), Vienna (1979), Ottawa (1981),Oxford (1983), Madrid (1985), San Francisco (1987), Melbourne (1989), Barcelona (1991), Zürich (1993), Warsaw (1995), Cape Town (1997), Victoria(1999), York (2001), Stockholm (2003), Buenos Aires (2005), Berlin (2007), Yokohama (2009), Alexandria (2011) and Rotterdam (2013). 26th ICV will be held in Sydney in August 2015.
A Congress consists of presentations of papers on vexillology and the biennial session of the FIAV General Assembly, amid flag-related tours, seminars, and meetings among various vexillologists on specific topics, and ample opportunities for social interaction and networking, usually culminating in a final banquet.
The editor of the ‘Flags and Stamps’ and Cdr K.V. Singh, CEO of Flag Foundation of India were invited from India to present their papers in person in the just concluded 25thInternational Congress of Vexillology (ICV) held in the Engels Congress Center (ECC) in Groot Handelsgebouw, Rotterdam, the Netherlands from 5th to 9th August, 2013, under the auspices of the FIAV. Mr. Chakrabarti and Cdr Singh were amongst the 36 speakers from all over the world, with subjects ranging across many vexillological themes. This diversity contributed in making the Congress an epoch making one.
The subjects chosen by the editor of ‘Flags and Stamps’ was Swastika, his paper entitled “The Ancient Symbol of Swastika: Its Distortion, Uses and Misuses” was found most interesting, very laudable, it was well balanced with the right nuances, immediately thereafter Cdr. K.V. Singh presented his paper entitled "Ancient and Epic Flags of India" which was well received by the audience with long applause on the second day on Tuesday 6th August, 2013. Mr. Alain Raulet, President of ‘Societe Bretonne de Vexillologie KVV’ of France, was nominated as the Master of Ceremony for the Indian presentations.
Mr. Alain Raulet finalizing the details of the Indian presentations
Mr. Michel R. Lupant, President FIAV with the Indian participants
The opening ceremony of the 25th ICV was held on 5th August at the Rotterdam International Flag Parade at Boompjes Bouevard, where the flags of the 193 members of the United Nations are waving, including those of 173 nationalities represented in Rotterdam’s population, as a sign ‘welcome to the city’.
The synopsis of Mr. Chakrabarti's paper :
“Swastika” is an ancient symbol of the prehistoric period - a symbol which has been attributed to ‘good fortune and well-being’ for more than 3000 years or even older. The power-point presentation highlighted the Origins, Uses, Migration and Diffusion of the symbol in Cultures of the Globe. Swastika is considered to be a fine example of Theories of the Parallelism in Human Thoughts – can it be a case of Duplicate or Independent discovery which popped-up in widest Culture Areas, extending almost to the Uttermost parts of the World or is it Transmitted from Person to Person, Country to Country by Migration, or Contact or Communication between the Distant people in Archaic period? No one knows for sure because its true home, the time or place of origin, or, the primitive meaning considered lost in antiquity.
One may wonder how the same auspicious symbol contaminated our mind with its graphic vandalism by a regime whose rise was dramatic and fall was equally as rapid as rise. Precisely 25 years of misuse from 1920 to 1945 made the Swastika image - a hated symbol in Europe and elsewhere, because of an ignominious fascist spearheaded a racial genocide, an unspeakable genocide - but that is according to the speaker is insufficient reason for ignoring the symbol's ancient and historical significance.
The Hakenkreuz (Swastika banner in Nazi style) is social taboo in India as well. However, the undertone the swastika has in general in the West is absent in India and other parts of Asia. Long before all the Nazi symbols were outlawed in 1945, scholars and historians proved sufficiently that the German claim of Swastika and its Aryan origin were baseless, hence unacceptable from the vexillological point of views.
As a matter of fact, the symbol was not unknown among the pre-Vedic ‘Dravidans’, a peaceful and more advanced culture of South India long before the invading Aryans arrived.Societies practicing Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and believer of many other sects - see the sign - as an auspicious sign of good fortune – representing aspects of their faith. They've been doing this from time immemorial - in temples, idols, rituals, decorations, on artifacts, coins and flags.
For more details please visit : Flags and Stamps
From our Readers….
Mr SS Rath of Bhubaneshwar shares here some pics of his World Philatelic Exhibition, Thailand 2013 Visit. He won a Bronze medal in this exhibition for a joint entry with Dr Bibhudatta Mishra of Bhubaneswar.
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