World Post Day 2022: World Post Day is celebrated every year on October 9 to celebrate the date when the Universal Postal Union (UPU).

Key Points:

• Universal Postal Union (UPU) was founded in 1874 in Bern, Switzerland.
• This day celebrate the role of the post in the everyday life and  also promotes the contributions made by the postal services in the social and economic development.

World Post Day 2022: Theme

This year, according to the United Nations (UN), the theme for World Post Day 2022 is “Post for Planet.”

Significance:

• The Post is the world’s largest logistics network.
• World Post Day is observed annually by the 192 nations that make up the UPU to recognise the value of universal mail and the organisation’s contributions to society and the global economy.
• In certain countries, World Post Day is observed as a working holiday.
• Some countries also use World Post Day to reward their employees for good service. Events such as philatelic exhibitions, new stamps, and date cancellation marks are issued as well.
• Every year, in India, a week-long celebration is dedicated to the occasion.

History of World Post Day:

• Postal services have been around since ancient times, when individuals wrote messages that couriers would then carry on foot or by horseback.
• In the 1600s, postal systems began to develop in several countries and were widely adopted.
• A worldwide postal system first appeared in the late 1800s with the gradual development of international letter exchange.
• Although it was tedious and slow, it became effective after the UPU was founded in 1874.
• Later in 1948, the UPU became part of the United Nations and the countries celebrated the first World Post Day on October 9, 1969 in Tokyo, Japan, at the UPU Congress.
• Anand Narula, a member of the Indian delegation, accepted the concept, and since then, 9 October has been designated as World Postal Day.
• Since its inception, World Post Day has been recognized globally as a way to thank the postal services globally.

Important Info:

India:

• The world's first official airmail flight took place in India on February 18, 1911.
• The Indian Post Office Act 1898 was passed by the legislature on March 22, 1898.
• It became active on July 1, 1898.
• In Independent India, the first official postal stamp was issued on November 21, 1947.
• The new stamp depicted the Indian flag with the patriots' slogan 'Jai Hind'.