German G20 Presidency
New G20 postage stamp
To mark Germany’s G20 Presidency the Federal Ministry of Finance has issued a commemorative postage stamp. The 70 cent stamp bears the logo of the G20 Presidency. It is part of the series of commemorative stamps issued every year that are intended to represent Germany around the world.
The commemorative stamp to mark Germany’s G20 Presidency was issued on 1 March
Photo: Scholz & Friends Berlin GmbH
On 1 December 2016, Germany took over the G20 Presidency from China. On 7 and 8 July 2017, the G20 leaders’ summit in Hamburg will be chaired by Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Commemorative stamp to mark German G20 Presidency
German postage stamps are designed to represent the Federal Republic of Germany – but what is typical of the country? One of about 50 commemorative stamps issued every year is dedicated to Germany’s G20 Presidency. Since 1 March the stamp has been on sale at all post offices in Germany.
Federal Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble decided, in conjunction with other politicians, administrators, graphic artists, philatelists (stamp collectors) and post office representatives that one postage stamp should commemorate the G20 Presidency. In their view, Germany’s Presidency is one of the events that are particularly important for Germany in 2017.
It is not only collectors who eagerly await special issue stamps. On post cards, letters and parcels, the newly issued stamps will soon be heading to many G20 member states long before the Hamburg summit.
During the global financial crisis in 2008/2009, the G20 became the most important forum for economic cooperation at global level. The world’s leading 19 industrialised nations and emerging economies are members, along with the European Union. The Presidency means that for one year Germany is responsible for organising the various working level meetings, conferences and a variety of minister-level meetings. The highlight is the leaders’ summit, which is to take place in Hamburg. In the financial sector, the Federal Finance Minister chairs meetings along with the President of the Bundesbank.
A reef knot that connects
The commemorative stamp shows the logo of Germany’s G20 Presidency, whose motto is "Shaping an interconnected world". The logo is a reef knot which symbolically brings together the many different issues dealt with the G20 in an interconnected world.
Reef knots are generally used when the forces pulling in each direction are great. And the reef knot is a symbol that echoes the long maritime, cosmopolitan tradition of Hamburg, the venue of the leaders’ summit.
The Berlin designers Professor Annette le Fort and Professor André Heers designed the stamp. The logo was created by the agency Scholz & Friends. The first day of issue of the 70 cent stamp was 1 March 2017.
Friday, 10 March 2017