FIFA U-20 World Cup stamp

The Epoch Times International and Abkhazia.com report that Canada Post officially unveiled a postage stamp commemorating the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup which kicks off today.

According to an article by Ramaz Mitaishvili on the Abkhazia.com Web site, FIFA Vice-President Jack Warner was keen to heap praise at the 52-cent stamp's unveiling.

Mr. Warner is quoted as saying, "National stamps are fantastic because that they become not just a piece of history, but a piece of the national consciousness as well."

FIFA has a strong tradition of commemorative stamps. In 1930, the Uruguayan postal service produced a postmark to acknowledge the first FIFA World Cup™, which today is a great rarity according to Mitaishvili.

He goes on to write, "Four years later, Italy released nine stamps to coincide with the 1934 FIFA World Cup, starting a tradition that continues to engage millions of enthusiasts across the globe. In 2004, FIFA launched its first philatelic programme with a total of 71 national postal administrations around the world issuing special stamps to commemorate the FIFA Centennial and its contribution to the world of football."

In 2006, 48 countries launched a special stamp marking the FIFA World Cup.

Shown above, Bob Waite, Senior VP of Canada Post and Colin Linford, President of the Canadian Soccer Association unveil FIFA U-20 World Cup stamp.

To read the entire article, click here.