The Vietnam Stamp Association, in collaboration with Vietnam Post, recently organized the closing ceremony of the "ASEAN 5-Country Stamp Exhibition - Vietnam 2024."

With the theme "Moving Forward Together," the exhibition, which ran from October 10 to 12, showcased 71 stamp collections across 300 frames. The event brought together stamp associations, collectors, and enthusiasts from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, with special guests from Hong Kong (China).

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Taking place over three days from October 10 to 12, the exhibition features 71 collections from collectors representing five ASEAN countries and a guest from Hong Kong (China). Photo: Vietnam Stamp Association.

The exhibition, the first of its kind hosted by the Vietnam Stamp Association, featured 13 collections from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, 9 from each country, 7 from Singapore, and 6 from Hong Kong (China).

The stamp collections, presented through the distinctive visual language of philately, offered a fascinating experience for visitors, bringing to life the history, culture, and people of ASEAN countries.

ASEAN stamp collectors and philatelists enjoyed an engaging display of artistic and historical treasures during the 3-day exhibition.

Six Vietnamese collectors win top awards

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Director of the Postal Department (Ministry of Information and Communications) La Hoang Trung presents the 'Grand Gold' award to collector Harsono Suwito from Indonesia. Photo: Postal Stamp Committee

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Deputy General Director of Vietnam Post, Chairman of the Vietnam Stamp Association, presents the Gold award to the authors of the collections. Photo: Postal Stamp Committee.

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Mr. Richard Tan, Vice President of the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie (FIP), presents the 'Large Vermeil' award to the authors. Photo: Postal Stamp Committee.

Out of the 65 competing collections across 271 frames from five countries, the judging panel worked meticulously to select the most outstanding pieces. The Grand Gold award was presented to Harsono Suwito of Indonesia for his collection, “Postal Rates for Goods on the Island of Sumatra (1945-1950).”

Fifteen Gold awards were given out, including three to Vietnamese collectors: Ngo Viet Vinh for his collection “Vietnamese Railways Under French Colonial Rule (1881-1936),” Le To Uyen for her collection “Bridging the Gap,” and Tran Thi Canh for “Maritime Transport.”

Additionally, three Vietnamese collectors received Large Vermeil awards: Nguyen Hoai Thanh for “Postage Stamps of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (1946-1961),” Nguyen Hue Nhuong Huyen for “President Ho Chi Minh: A Lasting Legacy,” and Nguyen Dai Hung Loc for “Indochinese Postal Rates (1899-1929).”

According to Dong Luong Son, Co-Chairman of the Judging Panel, the participation of both seasoned and new collectors at this exhibition signals a growing interest in stamp collecting, not only in Vietnam but across ASEAN and the world.

Founded in 1974 in Singapore, the Federation of Inter-Asian Philately (FIAP) currently has 31 member associations from Asia, Australia, and South Africa. Vietnam has been a member of FIAP since 1993. ASEAN postal stamp exhibitions, launched in 2011, are an important platform for promoting the art of philately and enhancing collector networks among member countries.

Starting in 2022, Vietnam was granted permission to participate as a fifth member, with support from the Central Committee for External Relations and the Ministry of Information and Communications.

This annual event, hosted by member countries on a rotating basis, will take place in Singapore in 2025.

PV