2008 - Year of Potato

Year 2008 was designated by the UN as International Year of the Potato (read - wikipedia). It seems that there not many IYP stamps was issued. Searching through the wns database only Switzerland has issued a special stamp to commemorate the IYP. The stamp was launched on March 4, 2008.

Switzerland - International Year of Potato

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Austria - Wachau Railway

Austria's Wachau Railway celebrates its 100th anniversary recently. A special stamp was issued to mark the occasion on June 20, 2009.

The 100th Anniversary of Wachau Railway

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What is so famous about Wachau and the railway? still researching ....

Some findings: -about the Wachau Railway - The romantic railway line has operated through the Danube regions of Wachau, Nibelungengau and Strudengau since 1909, linking the towns of Krems, Grein and St. Valentin. The journey is full of variety, running past vineyards and historical sites, always following the course of the Danube. The landscape that it crosses is characterised by natural beauties such as the terraces of the old vineyards as well as numerous cultural monuments that invite the traveller to stay a while. Source - philatelynews.

Other interesting stamps from Austria can be read here - aeiou stamp album.

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Georgia - Tbilisi State U

Tbilisi State University was established in 1918. The TSU building was depicted on a Georgian stamp issued in 2006. It is not clear (no information given) about the '100' mark seen on the stamp shown below.

Georgia State University 1ooth Anniversary

The photograph image of TSU Building (source - wiki)

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South Korea - Seoul GPO

On November 22, 2007, the Seoul Central Post Office opens a new chapter in its history at Post Tower, its new headquarters building. The new building of Central Post Office in Seoul was officially opened on November 22, 2007. The Korean Postal Authority has issued two stamps to mark the event.

New GPO Building in Seoul

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The new stamp features the POST TOWER - the new building of Seoul Central Post Office, together with Hanseong Post Office which was set up in 1895. The stamp's sheet shows how Kyeongseong Post Office looked in 1915, how Seoul Central Post Office looked during the Korean war, and how it looked when it was reestablished in 1957 and 1981, respectively. Together with these photos, the CI used by the postal office for each era are also shown.

Read the full article about these stamps here - 2007stamp.

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See all the Korean 2009 stamps here - koreapost.

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Libya - Qur'an Exhibition

Libya did not publish any of its stamp in wns database. Luckily one place was found having some collection of Libyan stamps - (libyan-stamps.com). Libyan stamps issued from 1996 up to now were available there.

Exhibition of Qur'an (2008)

The stamp shown above is to commemorate the exhibition of the Holy Qur'an. It was issued on Sep 26, 2008.

The exhibition aims to define the different ways of reciting the Holy Koran, its calligraphies, ornaments, volumes, publications, languages translated to, historical manuscripts of the Holy Koran, calligraphers, phases of copying and development of printing the written and oral Holy Koran, also it aims to encourage the youth to be committed to their Islamic religion, to be aware of their duties towards their doctrine, to disseminate the good message of Islam, also the exhibition includes lectures, soirees for religious chant and scientific conference about history of Koran, inimitability matter, and Koran language and style, Koran and human culture.

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Slovenia - Ploughing Championship

Slovenia is an active participant in wnsstamps. Shown here is a special Slovenian stamp to commemorate the World Ploughing Championship held recently. The stamp was launched on May 29, 2009.

World Ploughing Championship

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The World Ploughing Competition is the greatest event in the field of agriculture worldwide. The first world competition of ploughmen was held in 1953 in Canada. The competition in 2009 will be the greatest international event in Slovenia, which will be attended by the representatives of 30 countries from four continents. Read the article in full here - slovenianpost.

Other details about Slovenian stamps are available here - postasi.

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Bulgaria - Philatelist Union Anniversary

The Union of Bulgarian Philatelist has celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2008. To mark such event the postal authority of Bulgaria has issued a special stamp. The stamp was launched on January 16, 2008.

Bulgarian Union of Philatelist 70th Anniversary

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Read about the history of Bulgarian stamps here - philatelicdatabase. More samples of Bulgarian stamps were available here - stampsonstamps.

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