Polish Post: Anniversary of the Round Table Talks honored with postage stamps
Poczta Polska is commemorating the 35th anniversary of the Round Table Talks by issuing a unique series of stamps. This groundbreaking event initiated democratic transformations not only in Poland but also throughout Central and Eastern Europe. As a result of the Round Table Talks, the first partially free elections to the Polish parliament were held on June 4, 1989.
The "Round Table and the Elections of June 4, 1989" issue consists of two stamps. The first features a fragment of an archival photograph documenting the Round Table talks. The photograph symbolizes the dialogue and understanding that were crucial to the peaceful transformation in Poland. The second stamp depicts a stylized calendar page with the date "June 4, 1989" and information about the first partially free elections resulting from the Round Table negotiations.
The stamps are sold in a block featuring the issue title, the Polish coat of arms, and the iconic "Victoria" symbol of victory and freedom – the iconic gesture of spreading the fingers into a "V" shape. In Poland in the 1980s, it symbolized peaceful resistance and hope for victory. The red inscription "SOLIDARNOŚĆ" (Solidarity) also appears alongside the block.
The issue is accompanied by a First Day of Circulation (FDC) envelope depicting the Governor's Palace, the site of the Round Table Talks. The date stamp features a graphic depicting a section of the Sejm (lower house of parliament) complex, further emphasizing the significance of these historic events for the development of democracy and the beginnings of freedom in Poland, as well as the development of civil society.
About stamps:
Designer: Agnieszka Sancewicz
Number of stamps: 2 in a block
Value: PLN 5 each
Mintage: 90,000 pieces of each stamp
Printing technique: offset
Stamp format: 31.25 x 43 mm
Block format: 121 x 75 mm
Paper: fluorescent
Date of circulation: June 4, 2024