First Created - November 21, 1998
Stamp display: INDONESIA TO HOST WORLD PHILATELY EXPO
[ANTARA News Agency, Saturday, November 21, 1998 8:10 AM]
Stamp display: INDONESIA TO HOST WORLD PHILATELY EXPO
Bandung, W Java, Nov 20 (ANTARA) - Indonesia will host the
biggest world philately exhibition, "World Expo", in Jakarta in
2000.
"A total of 44 of the 70 to 80 countries expected to take part
in the world event have already been registered," general chairman
of the Indonesian Philatelists Association (PFI) Lt Gen (ret)
Mashudi told the press here on Thursday night.
After closing the association's annual conference,
Mashudi said that although Indonesia is currently suffering from the
prolonged economic crisis, the world exhibition must go on and
achieve success.
"In the beginning we are doubtful whether we would be able to
host the world event while the country is gripped by the economic
crisis," Mashudi said, adding that "eventually we are optimistic
after securing the support of all relevant parties, including PT Pos
Indonesia."
The former West Java governor also said that the trust given to
Indonesia by the International Federation of Philatelists (PIF) to
host the grand display, has also received the support of many
countries.
The support, he said, was expressed to him when, along with
other PFI board members, he recently visited a number of PIF member
countries.
"Indonesia was previously entrusted with the task of holding
three international expositions, namely in Surabaya (East Java) in
1994, Jakarta in 1995 and in Bandung in 1996," he said.
Indonesia, to prepare the World Expo, is now collecting funds
from stamp auctions and other means to make a success of the Rp 8
billion international event.
"We hope to collect Rp 4 billion from the sale of stamps alone,
and Rp 600 million has already been collected from the sale of PT
Pos Indonesia's special editions," he said.
He said PFI is at present also studying the possibility of
holding an Indonesian philately exhibition
featuring especially Revolution Stamps issued between 1945 and 1950.
He said that the price of the Revolution Stamp collection is
quite high on the international market, and is keenly sought by
world stamp collectors.
In the Netherlands, for instance, one such rare stamp in
Indonesia had been sold at Rp 4 billion, he said.
The PFI annual meeting also included a Bandung Philately
Festival, a stamp exhibition and auction, and a national philately
seminar.(U.BDG-002/20:46/BDG-007/INT-NG/22:00/tn01/22:16)
[Sahala Tua Saragih]
