Philately Bulgaria - New Generation

A special philatelic issue dedicated to the 125th anniversary of the birth of the renowned Bulgarian artist Iliya Beshkov was officially validated at the Iliya Beshkov Art Gallery in Pleven. The event was not only a tribute to the outstanding artist, caricaturist, and public figure, but also a significant occasion for the Bulgarian philatelic community, bringing together representatives of cultural institutions, Bulgarian Posts, and organized philately in the city.

A particularly important role in the ceremony was played by the Pleven Philatelic Society, which for decades has actively promoted philately and preserved historical and cultural heritage through postal issues. The Society’s Chairman, Nikolay Mladenov, was among the official participants in the validation ceremony. Together with Pavlin Kavulski, Director of the North Central Regional Office of Bulgarian Posts, and Dr. Tsveta Evlogieva-Katsarova, Director of the Iliya Beshkov Art Gallery, he applied the special commemorative postmark to the new issue, officially placing it into postal circulation.

The participation of Nikolay Mladenov in the ceremony represents recognition of the active contribution made by Pleven’s philatelists to the promotion of Bulgaria’s philatelic heritage. Over the years, the Pleven Philatelic Society has established itself as one of the country’s most active philatelic organizations, continuously supporting initiatives dedicated to marking important historical and cultural anniversaries through commemorative stamp issues.

The philatelic issue consists of a single stamp in a souvenir sheet with a face value of €1.95, printed in a circulation of 5,100 copies and accompanied by a special commemorative postmark. The design was created by artist Iliya Gruev, who paid tribute to Iliya Beshkov by featuring the artist’s self-portrait on the stamp and incorporating some of his best-known illustrations into the souvenir sheet. Through philatelic art, Beshkov’s legacy is thus preserved and introduced to new generations of collectors and art enthusiasts.

The validation of this issue in Pleven carries particular symbolic significance, linking the legacy of Iliya Beshkov with a community that continues to foster a strong interest in philately and cultural memory. Thanks to the efforts of local institutions and the active involvement of the Pleven Philatelic Society and its Chairman, Nikolay Mladenov, the new stamp will reach collectors and admirers in Bulgaria and abroad, serving as yet another ambassador of Bulgarian art, culture, and spiritual heritage.

On 16 October 2026, the Norwegian postal administration issued a new postage stamp marking the 200th anniversary of the founding of Rikshospitalet - one of Norway’s most significant healthcare institutions. Since 1826, Rikshospitalet has been a cornerstone of Norwegian healthcare, symbolising medical progress and national care. Established as a national hospital and teaching centre, it grew into a modern facility with specialised departments.

In 2000, the hospital relocated to Gaustad, equipped with advanced technology and a strong focus on research and education. Following its merger with Ullevål and Aker hospitals in 2009, it now serves as a national reference hospital for transplants, paediatrics, and neurology. Treating patients from across Norway, often with rare conditions, it also remains a vital training centre. The stamp pays tribute to this two-century contribution to Norwegian society and its healthcare system, while in its anniversary year the institution is also looking ahead - plans are already underway for the future Rikshospitalet, due to open in 2031. The new building will bring together national and regional functions, including an emergency department and a children’s hospital, and will be adapted to modern standards of preparedness and technology.

The stamp itself was designed by Enzo Finger, with photographs supplied by Stockfoto, DigitaltMuseum, and Norsk Teknisk Museum - a combination that links archival imagery from the hospital’s history with a contemporary graphic approach. It was printed using the offset technique by the renowned printing house Joh. Enschedé Security Print, measures 38×30 mm, and carries the “Norway Large” denomination. Thematically, the issue is classified under “Essential Services,” a category bringing together stamps related to key public institutions.

Besides the stand-alone stamp (priced at £3.73), collectors can also add several accompanying products from the same issue to their collection: a standard First Day Cover priced at £4.55, a luxury version - the Golden FDC - at £10.47, and a set of Maxi Cards at £4.55. Each of these products offers a different way of presenting the design - from the classic cover bearing the postmark of the issue date, to the gilded collector’s edition, to the maxi cards pairing the stamp with an illustration on the front.

This issue is a fine addition both for collectors interested in Scandinavian philately and for those who collect stamps on medical and healthcare themes. It combines historical significance, quality design, and solid printing, while the availability of several companion products allows for a richer and more varied collection built around a single event.

The Philatelic Association of Timișoara, Romania, together with the West University of Timișoara, is organizing TimFilEx 2027 – the traditional national exhibition, dedicated this year to the 150th anniversary of the War of Independence and to the work of the Banat painter Silviu Oravitzan. The exhibition will take place from November 19 to 21, 2027, at the West University of Timișoara, with approximately 400 exhibition frames available to participants.

TimFilEx has a long-standing tradition in the city, which has always been among the leading centers of philatelic life in Romania – as early as 1923, Timișoara hosted the country’s first national philatelic exhibition. Since 2021, the exhibition has been organized almost yearly under the TimFilEx name, with each edition dedicated to a different theme tied to the life of the city: the industrial history of Timișoara (2021), the centennial anniversary of the first dog show in Romania (2022), Timișoara’s status as European Capital of Culture (2023), and the personality of Queen Maria (2025).

The main classes include traditional philately, postal history, postal stationery, aerophilately, astrophilately, thematic philately (with subclasses Nature, Culture/History and Technology), revenue philately, modern philately (from 1980 to today), open class, experimental class, maximaphily, picture postcards, and philatelic literature. In addition, there will be a Court of Honor, invited exhibits, and a special non-competitive “Class without Class” for children and beginner philatelists, which follows no fixed rules, is not judged, and awards every participant a diploma.

The exhibition also includes a youth class (Class 13), divided into age groups – A (10–15 years), B (16–18 years), and C (19–21 years) – with participation completely free of charge. A digital component is also included: within the philatelic literature class there is a dedicated subclass for digital literature, websites, and software, treated as an experimental class, while the other literature subclasses may be submitted in either printed or digital form.

Regarding deadlines, entry application forms must be submitted by July 1, 2027, notifications of acceptance or rejection along with the number of allotted frames will be sent by September 1, 2027, and accepted exhibits must arrive at the Organizing Committee no later than November 10, 2027. The participation fee is 10 EUR per frame for most classes, the youth class is free of charge, and the literature class fee is 25 EUR per exhibit. A philatelic fair will additionally be held on November 20, 2027. The organizers invite stamp collectors from Romania, the Balkans, and all of Europe to join TimFilEx 2027.

From 26 to 29 October 2028, the German city of Ulm will host the IBRA 2028 World Stamp Exhibition. It will take place at the Messe Ulm exhibition centre and will have some 2,000 frames at its disposal. The organizer is the German Federation of Philatelists (Bund Deutscher Philatelisten) in collaboration with the Federation of South-West German Philatelic Societies (LSW), with the event managed and run by an organizing committee. The stated aims are the classic ones for an event of this kind – strengthening friendly relations and close cooperation among philatelists worldwide, and promoting philately and stamp collecting at the highest international level.

IBRA 2028 holds the status of a general World Stamp Championship Exhibition under the patronage of the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie (FIP), which is to be officially granted by the 78th FIP Congress in Macao in 2026. The exhibition is also held under the patronage of the Federation of European Philatelic Associations (FEPA). The general regulations GREX and GREV apply, together with the special regulations for the evaluation of exhibits (SREVs) and these individual regulations (IREX). Exhibitors from FIP member federations are eligible to take part in the competitive classes, while entry to the non-competitive classes, including the Court of Honour, is by special invitation from the organizing committee.

The competitive programme comprises fifteen classes. Class 1 is the FIP Championship Class, where the standard requirements apply – three Large Gold medals at FIP world exhibitions in three separate years, with no more than one Large Gold credited per year, and eligibility beginning on 1 January of the year following receipt of the third. Once qualified, an exhibit may compete in the Championship Class in any five calendar years of the exhibitor's choosing within a ten-year span. The list of qualified exhibits is published at the end of each year by the FIP Board.

Traditional Philately and Postal History follow, each with a national sub-class for Germany and sub-classes for Europe, America, and Asia, Oceania and Africa. Separate classes are provided for Postal Stationery, Aerophilately, Astrophilately, Thematic Philately with sub-classes for nature, culture and technology, Open Philately, Revenues, Picture Postcards and Maximaphily. Class 12 is the experimental "1–3 Frames" class: one-frame exhibits must treat a narrowly defined subject, and extracts from previously shown five- to eight-frame exhibits are expressly not permitted, while two- and three-frame exhibits are allocated to sub-classes for Traditional Philately, Postal History, Postal Stationery, Aerophilately, Thematic Philately and Revenues. Evaluation in Class 12 is on a scale of 60 to 100 points, and awards are given by certificate only, without medal levels; exhibits below 60 points receive a certificate of participation.

Class 14 – Youth Philately – deserves particular attention, and at IBRA 2028 it is entirely free of charge. Age is determined as of 1 January 2028, and participants are divided into three groups: group A from 10 to 15 years, group B from 16 to 18 years and group C from 19 to 21 years. The size of the exhibits grows with age – one to three frames for the youngest, two to four for the middle group and three to five for the oldest. It is worth noting that, unlike at some other exhibitions, the lower age limit here is expressly set at 10 years, meaning the youth class is not open to children below that age. The absence of a participation fee remains the strongest incentive for young collectors to step onto the world stage, and it deserves active support from national federations and from the mentors of young exhibitors.

An equally important point is Class 13 – Philatelic Literature – which at IBRA 2028 is formulated in very contemporary terms. Sub-class A covers philatelic books, monographs, non-periodical general and specialized catalogues, articles, handbooks and specialized research studies published after 1 January 2023. Sub-class B is for philatelic magazines and periodicals presented as at least one complete annual volume published after 1 January 2025. Sub-class C is devoted entirely to digital media – digital literature, websites and software. Significantly, literature may be submitted in either printed or digital form, and for digital titles the exhibitor provides access credentials instead of a physical copy. One copy of each exhibit is required, and return is possible only if expressly requested on the application form and at the exhibitor's expense. Literature exhibits will be presented in a supervised reading area where visitors can consult them on site. In addition to the application, a separate Philatelic Literature Information Form must be completed, and the deadline for receipt of the exhibits is 1 July 2028.

A genuine novelty is Class 15 – Modern Philately, covering material from 1980 to the present. Its purpose is twofold: to encourage collectors of modern material to exhibit at the highest level, and to demonstrate to postal administrations that interest in recent issues remains alive. Eligible exhibits are those meeting the FIP regulations for Traditional Philately, Postal History or Postal Stationery and composed exclusively of material issued by postal administrations since 1980. Evaluation follows the respective SREVs, with express acknowledgement that modern material is often difficult to obtain and process and that its rarity and significance are harder to assess given the short elapsed period. Full FIP medals are awarded in this class, results are recorded in the official listings, and exhibits scoring below 60 points receive a certificate of participation. Acceptance is based on the recommendation of the national commissioner and at the discretion of the organizing committee, and the same exhibitor may also enter other classes, though with different exhibits.

The technical requirements follow the established standard. The frame measures 97 by 120 cm and holds 16 album pages in four rows of four, with a page size of 23 by 29.7 cm including the protective mount. The other formats recommended by the FIP are also accepted – 46 by 29 cm with eight sheets and 31 by 29 cm with twelve sheets. Exhibits must be mounted on white or light-coloured sheets; dark and black sheets are not accepted. Original expert certificates must be made available to the jury, either affixed to the reverse of the relevant sheet or submitted in a folder through the national commissioner, and a small © symbol or the letter "c" is placed in the lower right-hand corner of the sheet. With the exception of classes 12, 13 and 14, each exhibit is shown in five or eight frames: five frames for exhibits awarded at least a Vermeil at national level, and eight frames for those awarded at least a Large Vermeil at a previous FIP exhibition.

The fees are relatively moderate. For the competitive classes other than 12, 13 and 14, the fee is €100 per frame. The experimental "1–3 Frames" class costs €130 per frame. Philatelic literature is charged at €40 per exhibit, and where the same exhibitor submits several entries, each subsequent exhibit costs €30. Youth Philately and the non-competitive classes are free of charge. Once paid, fees are non-refundable.

The application procedure is a considerable convenience. Entries are submitted by the exhibitor or by the national commissioner through the website https://ibra2028.de, with a deadline of 29 February 2028. A copy of the introductory page in one of the official FIP languages must be attached, along with the additional information form in the case of literature exhibits; a synopsis is optional. Notification of acceptance or rejection, together with the number of frames allocated, will be sent through the national commissioners by 30 April 2028; fees are collected and forwarded by 15 May 2028; and changes to the title or synopsis are permitted until 31 May 2028. If the title differs from that used previously, the former title must be stated, along with the FIP exhibit ID number, which is obtained through the exhibitor's national federation.

All exhibits are delivered through the respective national commissioners; personal delivery by the exhibitor is not permitted, except for German participants. Shipment by air cargo is prohibited. The organizing committee will implement simplified customs procedures, with details communicated through the national commissioners at least three months before the exhibition. Insurance is the exhibitor's own responsibility and expense, and the committee accepts no liability for loss or damage during transit, storage or display. After mounting, the national commissioner must verify that all pages and philatelic items are intact and sign a confirmation form before the opening day.

The organizing committee is based at the BDPh headquarters at Am Hofgarten 4, 53113 Bonn, and the Commissioner General of the exhibition is Frank Blechschmidt. Peter Suhadolc is named as the FIP consultant, although the official appointment is still pending. In the event of a dispute, the German version of the regulations is authoritative and the legal venue is Bonn. Current information is published at http://www.ibra2028.de. Bulgarian philatelists considering participation would do well to contact the Union of Bulgarian Philatelists and the national commissioner well before February 2028 – particularly if they are interested in the youth class, in digital media, or in the new class for modern philately.

From 22 to 26 March 2028, Prague will once again host a world stamp exhibition. PRAGA 2028 will take place in the Průmyslový palác at the Výstaviště exhibition grounds in the Bubeneč district and will present approximately 2,500 exhibition frames. The organizer is the Union of Czech Philatelists, acting through the association "PRAGA 2028 – Světová výstava poštovních známek", which was established specifically for this purpose. The exhibition marks several anniversaries at once: 500 years since the establishment of a regular postal service between Prague and Vienna, 110 years since the founding of Czechoslovakia and the first Czechoslovak stamps, 35 years since the creation of the Czech Republic, and the tradition of world stamp exhibitions in Prague itself.

PRAGA 2028 holds the status of a Specialized World Stamp Championship Exhibition under the patronage of the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie (FIP). Patronage was provisionally granted by the FIP President and Board during the 168th and 169th FIP Conference meetings and finally approved by the 78th FIP Congress on 1 July 2026. The exhibition is also held under the recognition of the Federation of European Philatelic Associations (FEPA). The general regulations GREX and GREV apply, together with the special regulations for the evaluation of exhibits (SREVs) and the exhibition's own individual regulations (IREX).

The competitive programme comprises fourteen classes. Class 1 is the World Stamp Championship Class, and here the organizers have introduced a significant relaxation: a single Large Gold medal from an exhibition under FIP patronage, or an FIP Grand Prix, is sufficient, since Articles 9.1 and 9.5 of GREX expressly do not apply. Traditional Philately and Postal History follow, each divided into a national sub-class for material relating to the territory of Czechoslovakia and sub-classes for Europe, for Asia, Africa and Oceania, and for America. Separate classes are provided for Postal Stationery, Revenue, Aerophilately, Astrophilately, Thematic Philately (with sub-classes for nature, culture and technology), Open Philately and Picture Postcards. As experimental Class 14, First Day Covers are being introduced; they are evaluated on a scale from 60 to 100 points and receive certificates only, without medal levels.

Class 11 – Youth Philately – deserves particular attention, and it remains entirely free of charge for participants. Age is determined as of 1 January 2028, and exhibitors are divided into three groups: up to 15 years, 16 to 18 years, and 19 to 21 years. The number of permitted frames increases with age – one to three frames for the youngest group, two to four for the middle group, and three to five for the oldest. There is also a difference in the maximum awards: in the first two age groups medals are awarded up to Large Vermeil level, while group C may reach Gold level. Exhibits scoring below 60 points receive a Certificate of Participation. The absence of a participation fee makes the youth class an especially accessible route for young collectors to enter the world philatelic stage, and it deserves active support from national federations and from the mentors of young exhibitors.

A practical innovation is Class 12 for exhibits with a non-standard number of frames. Sub-class 12A is intended for one-frame exhibits on a very narrow subject, while sub-class 12B covers exhibits of two to four frames. In both cases the material is allocated to nine categories corresponding to the main disciplines: Traditional Philately, Postal History, Postal Stationery, Revenue, Aerophilately, Astrophilately, Thematic Philately, Open Philately and Picture Postcards. Evaluation in Class 12 is carried out on a scale from 60 to 100 points, and awards are given by certificate only, without medal levels.

Class 13 – Philatelic Literature – also brings important news. Alongside the traditional sub-classes for monographs and periodicals, a distinct sub-class for digital media has been created. This is a clear sign that the FIP and the organizers recognize the change in the way philatelic research is published and distributed today – online catalogues, databases, electronic publications and multimedia projects now have their own place in the world competitive programme. The requirements regarding publication date remain: handbooks and special studies must have been published no earlier than five years before the year of the exhibition, and all other entries no earlier than two years before. A special Philatelic Literature Exhibit Information Form must be completed in addition to the application. Exhibitors and commissioners should pay attention to the number of copies required – Article 5 of the regulations calls for two copies of each exhibit, while Article 10.7 refers to one copy of each title or volume; in every case the material submitted remains in the library of the Union of Czech Philatelists and is not returned. Literature exhibits must be received no later than 31 December 2027 to allow for preliminary judging.

The technical conditions follow the established standard. The frame measures 93 by 120 cm and holds 16 album sheets in four rows of four, with a maximum sheet size of 23 by 29.7 cm including the protective cover and a maximum thickness of mounted material of 5 mm. The other formats recommended by the FIP are also accepted – 46 by 29 cm (eight sheets) and 31 by 29 cm (twelve sheets). Exhibits must be mounted on white or light-coloured sheets; dark and black sheets are not permitted. Original expertising certificates are placed at the back of the relevant page, with a small © symbol marked on the front. In Classes 2 to 10, five frames are allotted to exhibits that have obtained at least a Vermeil award (75 points) at national level, and eight frames to exhibits that have obtained at least a Large Vermeil at previous FIP exhibitions.

The participation fee for competitive Classes 1 to 10 is €100 per frame. For one-frame exhibits in sub-class 12A it is €140 per frame, and for the two-to-four-frame exhibits in sub-class 12B, €100 per frame. Philatelic literature is charged at €75 per exhibit, while the youth class and the non-competitive classes are free of charge. Fees once paid are not refundable.

The deadlines are already fixed and call for early preparation. Applications are submitted exclusively through national commissioners, and the completed forms must reach the Commissioner General no later than 31 July 2027, accompanied by a copy of the introductory page in one of the official FIP languages. Notification of acceptance or rejection, together with the number of allotted frames, will be sent by 31 August 2027, and fees are collected and remitted by 31 October 2027. The introductory page and the synopsis may be revised until 31 December 2027. If the title of an exhibit differs from that used at a previous showing, the former title must be stated, along with the exhibitor's identity number issued by the FIP.

The Commissioner General of the exhibition is Jiří Černý, and the chairman of the organizing committee is Jiří Kraus. The FIP consultant is Yigal Nathaniel. Full information, the forms and current news are published on the official website https://praga2028.cz, and enquiries may be addressed to [email protected]. Bulgarian philatelists considering participation would do well to contact the Union of Bulgarian Philatelists and the national commissioner now, since choosing a class, preparing the exhibit and gathering the necessary documents all take time well before the July 2027 deadline.