FDC from Poland／FDC de la Pologne

Christmas／Noël

FDC from Israel／FDC de l'Israël

The Israeli Flag ／Le Drapeau israélien

The flag of Israel (Hebrew: דגל ישראל, Degel Yisrael, Arabic: علم إسرائيل) was adopted on October 28, 1948, five months after the country's establishment. It depicts a blue Star of David on a white background, between two horizontal blue stripes. The blue colour is mandated only as "dark sky-blue", and varies from flag to flag, ranging from a hue of pure blue, sometimes shaded almost as dark as navy blue, to hues about 75% toward pure cyan and shades as light as very light blue. The flag was designed for the Zionist Movement in 1891. The basic design recalls the Tallit, the Jewish prayer shawl, which is white with blue stripes. The hexagram in the centre is the Magen David ("shield of David"). It became a Jewish symbol starting in late medieval Prague, and was adopted by the First Zionist Congress in 1897.
In 2007, an Israeli flag measuring 660 by 100 metres and weighing 5.2 tonnes was unfurled near the ancient Jewish fortress of Masada, breaking the world record for the largest flag.

Le drapeau d'Israël (en hébreu : דגל ישראל, en arabe : علم إسرائيل) est le drapeau national de l'État d'Israël. Il a été adopté par le mouvement sioniste au XIXe siècle et repris lors de la création de l'État en 1948. Il comporte en son centre l'étoile de David, ou « Maguen David » (de l'hébreu littéralement « Bouclier de David »).

Les proportions du drapeau, ses couleurs (blanc et bleu) et les deux bandes horizontales évoquent le talith, châle de prière juif.

FDC from Israel／FDC de l'Israël

Gethsemane／Gethsémani

Gethsemane (Greek ΓεΘσημανἰ, Gethsēmani Hebrew:גת שמנים, Aramaic:גת שמני, Gath-Šmânê, Assyrian ܓܕܣܡܢ, Gat Šmānê, lit. "oil press") is a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem most famous as the place where Jesus and his disciples prayed the night before Jesus' crucifixion.

Gethsemane appears in the Greek of the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Mark as Γεθσημανἱ (Gethsēmani). The name is derived from the Assyrian ܓܕܣܡܢ (Gaṯ-Šmānê), meaning "oil press". Matthew (26:36) and Mark (14:32) call it χωρἰον (18:1), a place or estate. The Gospel of John says Jesus entered a garden (κῆπος) with his disciples.

According to the New Testament it was a place that Jesus and his disciples customarily visited, which allowed Judas to find him on the night of his arrest. Overlooking the garden is the Church of All Nations, also known as the Church of the Agony, built on the site of a church destroyed by the Sassanids in 614, and a Crusader church destroyed in 1219. Nearby is the Russian Orthodox Church of St. Mary Magdalene with its golden, onion-shaped domes (Byzantine/Russian style), built by Russian Tsar Alexander III in memory of his mother.

According to Luke 22:43–44, Jesus' anguish in Gethsemane was so deep that "his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." According to the Eastern Orthodox Church tradition, Gethsemane is the garden where the Virgin Mary was buried and was assumed into heaven after her dormition on Mount Zion. The Garden of Gethsemane became a focal site for early Christian pilgrims. It was visited in 333 by the anonymous "Pilgrim of Bordeaux", whose Itinerarium Burdigalense is the earliest description left by a Christian traveler in the Holy Land. In his Onomasticon, Eusebius of Caesarea notes the site of Gethsemane located "at the foot of the Mount of Olives", and he adds that "the faithful were accustomed to go there to pray". Ancient olive trees growing in the garden are said to be 900 years old.

Dans la Bible, Gethsémani ou Gethsémané (en grec antique : ΓεΘσημανι, Gethsēmani, en hébreu :גת שמנים, en araméen : גת שמנא, Gat Šmānê, « le pressoir à huile ») est un lieu désignant une oliveraie au pied du mont des Oliviers, connu dans les Évangiles pour être le lieu où ont prié Jésus et les apôtres avant la Crucifixion.

Franchissant le torrent du Cédron, Jésus et ses disciples gagnèrent un jardin situé au pied du mont des Oliviers, appelé Gethsémani où sans doute il venait habituellement bivouaquer avec ses disciples. Judas, qui le savait, y conduisit ceux qui venaient l'arrêter.

« Alors Jésus parvient avec eux à un domaine appelé Gethsémani et leur dit : « Restez ici, pendant que je m'en vais là-bas pour prier. » »

— Évangile de l'apôtre Matthieu chapitre 26, verset 361

Une église a été construite au IVe siècle au bas du mont des Oliviers, par-dessus un rocher commémorant le lieu où Jésus pria, une petra qui est mentionnée dès le début de ce siècle par le Pèlerin de Bordeaux. L'endroit se trouve non loin de la grotte qui commémorait à cette époque le lieu de l'arrestation de Jésus, ceci d'après la description de la pèlerine Égérie. L'église disparut au VIIe siècle et ne fut reconstruite, à peu près sur le même plan, qu'au début du XXe siècle.

Elle se nomme la basilique de la Sainte-Agonie (surnommée l' église de Toutes-les-Nations) et appartient à la custodie franciscaine de Terre Sainte.

New Issue: Taiwan Butterflies Postage Stamps (Issue of 2011)／Les nouveautés: Les Papillons de Taiwan (l'Édition de 2011)

Date of Issue: 8.4.2011

Because of its richly varied geography and its location straddling the tropics and subtropics, Taiwan has a great number of butterflies with rich species diversity. To call public attention to the importance of ecological conservation, Chunghwa Post previously issued a set of stamps on Taiwan butterflies on June 25, 2009, and it is now following up with a souvenir sheet (Issue of 2011), consisting of four stamps, featuring Euploea butterflies. The souvenir sheet, following the format of its forerunner of 2009, is printed in the shape of a butterfly, with a butterfly-shaped cutout on each stamp. The designs follow:

1. Euploea eunice hobsoni (Butler) (NT$5): This butterfly has dark brown forewings with an iridescent blue shimmer. There are some pale blue gray markings on the submarginal areas of each of its wings and at the center of its forewings.

2. Euploea sylvester swinhoei Wallace Moore (NT$5): The upper surfaces of the forewings of this dark brown butterfly have an iridescent blue shimmer near the apex and light blue spots along the outer edges of its cells. There are three pale blue gray spots at the center of the underside of its forewings.

3. Euploea tulliolus koxinga Fruhstorfer (NT$12): This dark brown butterfly has iridescent blue forewings. There are rows of white markings in the submarginal areas of the upper surfaces of each of its wings. The undersides of its wings are paler in color, with white markings at the center of its forewings and also in positions that correspond to the white spots on its upper surfaces.

4. Euploea mulciber barsine Fruhstorfer (NT$12): The male has a large violescent patch with some scattered tiny white spots near the apex of its forewings. The female has white scattered spots near the apex and white streaks on the inner edges of the forewings and the cells of the hind wings.

New Issue: Fishes of Taiwan Postage Stamps (I)／Les nouveautés: poisson du Taiwan (I)

Date of Issue:10.3.2011

The native freshwater fish of Taiwan’s rivers, lakes, and estuaries comprise the most diverse group of vertebrates within the island’s terrestrial ecosystem. Chunghwa Post has planned a series of postage stamps to introduce the beauty of Taiwan’s freshwater fishes. The first set of the series features Taiwan endemic fishes: Candidia barbatus, Opsariichthys pachycephalus, Spinibarbus hollandi, and Squalidus banarescui. The designs follow:

1. Candidia barbatus (NT$5): This silver white fish has an obvious deep blue lateral stripe extending from its gill cover to the base of its caudal fin. It typically measures about 6 to 12 centimeters long, but large examples can sometimes reach 20 centimeters. It is commonly seen in the upper stretches of rivers and their branches in western Taiwan. As a result of human introduction in recent years, it can be found in the rivers of the Hualien and Taitung.

2. Opsariichthys pachycephalus (NT$5): An adult male has some ten blue-green vertical streaks on the sides of its body and displays nuptial coloration in the area below its gill covers as well as at its pelvic, pectoral, and anal fins. Vigorous and ferocious, the species’ strong predatory characteristics make it a popular target for stream fishing. It typically measures about 8 to 15 centimeters long, but large examples can reach 20 centimeters. It is commonly seen in the rivers of western Taiwan.

3. Spinibarbus hollandi (NT$12): The fish has a medium-to-large mouth aperture and two pairs of barbels. The back of its body is slate gray and its sides are silver white. This large carp typically measures about 20 to 40 centimeters long. The largest examples can reach 60 centimeters in length. The stamp features a medium-sized adult. It can be found in the middle stretches of rivers in southern and eastern Taiwan.

4. Squalidus banarescui (NT$25): This fish is slightly transparent, with a black and gold lateral line on the sides of its body. There is a black marking that resembles the Chinese character for eight “八” on each of its lateral line scales. This small carp measures about 8 to 10 centimeters long. It can only be found in relatively deep and slow and slightly muddy rivers in central Taiwan.

FDC from Belarus／FDC de la Biélorussie

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year／

Joyeux Noël et Bonne année

FDC from Croatia／FDC de la Croatie

CHRISTMAS 2010／NOËL 2010

Adoration of the Shepherds, Josip Biffel, Gallery “Šimun” of the Franciscan Monastery of St. Anthony, Dubrave near Brčko, Bosnia and Herzegovina Christmas lasts. Already for 2010 years the Child is born into its death and resurrection. Ever since the world has been counting time from this birth, the scene of birth was being complemented and enriched. Apart from the main characters, there appear and exchange also the episodists; metaphors gain bodies and the warm muteness of animals completes the human register. The spirit of time arranges the story, lavishing presents and deducing the story to essentials. The styles and epochs have been exchanging round the stall, but never disregarded it. Many painters and sculptors have brought the goodness of their lives, dear lineaments of their wives and children, their next of kins and even their own into the scene of birth. By one’s own experience or longing anyone could settle in this scene. It survived also the chase of narration in modern times. A new, sometimes stiff emotion has carried over the torches of Bethlehem into our time. The painter Josip Biffel (born in 1933, graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb in 1959 in the class of Đuro Tiljak, professor at the same Academy) is among many who bowed in front of the stall. He did it in a modern way, renouncing the tiny details and filling out the space of great expansibility by the magic of light. The blue darkness of the sky and the little cave, the caring Joseph and animals in it, the reflection of light across the distant country, the night behind the shoulders of modest characters who had heard the call and have come to admire the new life, the shine on the mother and child, on the crown of a magical tree dialoguing with heavenly voices and the unusual purple sent off by the night – so could maybe Biffel’s painting be translated into word. Biffel has not taken that much with him from his professor at the Academy, much more has he exchanged with his contemporaries, with Ivančić, Stančić, Lesiak…A great part of his work he devoted to sacral motifs and especially to sacral spaces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Creation of space, investigation of its dimensions, rotating of horizons, compression or extension of deepnesses are main features of his poetics. Exactly his paintings concerned with space are probably his most own and finest works. And this space is filled with colours that carry light and darkness, that replace the description by their shine and glowing. The Gallery “Šimun”, housing Biffel’s painting together with seven hundred and twenty other Croatian modern works of art, from which also this year’s Christmas stamp comes, is the collection of the great Franciscan collector, Fra Stjepan Pavić. It is also one of the most beautiful collections of Bosnia and Herzegovina and also Croatia which contributes to understanding and defining of not only our but also universal homeland.

FDC from Belarus／FDC de la Biélorussie

Flora - Endangered plants of Belarus／

La flore - les usines Mises en danger de la Biélorussie

"H"：Oxlip paigle
"P"：Dark-winged orchis

Letter “H” is equal to the surface tariff of a letter up to 20 gram abroad.
Letter “P” is equal to the air-mail tariff of a letter up to 20 gram abroad.

FDC from Malaysia／FDC de la Malaisie

Children's Pets 2011／

Les Animaux de compagnie d'Enfants 2011

Young children need a hobby or pastime. Not only will an interesting hobby keep children entertained, but many hobbies provide an educational experience as well. In this day and age of video games and computers, parents should encourage their children to spend time with other educational and challenging interests that can also build positive morale and outlook. Some hobbies that begin when a person is young may even develop into a lifelong interest such as keeping a pet.

Pets are domestic or tamed animals kept for companionship or merely for the beauty of the animals. Having pets at home is one of the most common hobbies that people all over the world share. Children raised with pets show many benefits. It is also a recommended hobby for children as it teaches them responsibility and how to care for animals and also help children develop their social skill.

While dogs and cats are the most popular household pets all over the world due to their loyal or playful characteristics and attractive appearance, other popular pets include rabbits, hamsters and fish. Today even pets like spiders, pythons and other exotic animals are also becoming widely known amongst animal enthusiasts.

While all kinds of pets can bring cheer and joy to children, it is important to choose a pet that is right for your family, your home and your lifestyle; and one that your child can care for. A goldfish in an aquarium will be ideal for even the smallest of spaces. However, for have a big dog, you will need a lot of space. Also be prepared for a long term commitment of caring for pets such as dogs, cats and rabbits, that can live up to ten years. Pet keeping not only involves caring for the animal but also includes the costs of feeding and medical bills that may be unavoidable to ensure that the pets are in the best of health. Pets can serve different purposes for children and can be one of the most rewarding of all hobbies. On the other hand, the most common reasons for not owning a pet are the lack of time, lack of suitable housing and lack of ability to care for the pet when travelling. Therefore proper planning is necessary to help make pet ownership a positive experience for everyone and create fond memories that last a lifetime.

Dogs

Dogs are known as man's best friend due to their loyalty to their owner. Dogs are lovable, fun and playful. They love all outdoor exercises especially playing "fetch". There are a wide variety of breeds with different advantages and disadvantages. However the correct breed or dog depends on the kind of space available in owner's home.

The smaller breed is ideal if kept in a small apartment or house.

Cats

Aloof as they may seem, cats are actually playful but well-manner creatures. Cats like to be pampered by humans. Cats show their affection for their owners not only through purring, but also by pawing your arms, legs or elsewhere on your body.

Cats are also avid spectators. They love to see what is going on around them. They do these by jumping to high places like the sofa, cabinet or table to keep a watchful eye on you and what you're doing.

Rabbits

Rabbits have always been popular as pets, especially among children. They never fail to amuse the little ones with their cute and cuddly looks and behavior. However, animals such as rabbits that are kept in cages require a little more attention. Since they are kept in enclosures, it would be more considerate if they are allowed room to move freely. Rabbits should never be kept in small enclosures for a long period of time. Their enclosure should be big enough so that they can easily hop and run about and hide when it wants to. Animals kept at home should be provided with a sense of being in their natural habitat. This way, they feel free and they live happily.

Another important aspect is that rabbits are physically too delicate to be handled roughly. Rabbits take some time to get used to their new surroundings and new companions. When these creatures feel frightened, they become defensive and exhibit behaviour of biting, scratching or running away. Therefore, it is important to help children understand how to care for rabbits and understand its needs and requirements.

Rabbits are also prone to a few diseases that are hard to treat. although rabbits require less grooming than dogs and cats, proper diet and hygiene of their feeding and bedding area will ensure a healthy and happy rabbit.

FDC from Israel／FDC de l'Israël

Endangered Even-toed Ungulate Species／

Espèce menacée - Les artiodactyles