2009 marked the 100th anniversary of the UPU monument – Around the World – situated in the Kleine Schanze park in the Swiss capital, Berne. On World Post Day, dignitaries and International Bureau (IB) staff joined the celebrations near French sculptor, René de Saint-Marceaux’s masterpiece. 
These included speeches, music and a theatrical sketch by an actor posing as Saint-Marceaux. Swiss Post and La Poste (France) launched two stamps to mark the monument’s centenary. Both stamps depict the bronze and granite monument with its creator. The French stamp can be used on international mail leaving France, whereas the Swiss one is a service stamp. This means that it can only be used on sending mail from the UPU’s IB. The service stamp can be bought either from the IB itself or from Swiss Post’s website.
The statue is the work of French sculptor René de Saint-Marceau, itself represented on the stamp. This statue embodies the truly universal mission of the UPU. It is five messengers, symbolizing the five continents, which transmit letters around the globe.
Technical details
- Date of issue: Swiss 9/Oct/2009 - French 12/Oct/2009
- Printing process: Taille-douce / Offest
- Stamp size: 40 mm. x 27.27 mm.
- Sheets: 48 stamps
1. "Bern celebrates monument birthday". Union Postale. Bern, UPU, December 2009. Pag. 5.
2. (2010), La Poste's website. Consulted 3/Jan/10.
3. (2010), Swiss Post's website. Consulted 3/Jan/10.
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