While post offices can be infuriating at times, without them our society would not exist and our lives would be much more complicated. World Post Day, celebrated annually on 9 October, is a reminder of this.

Why is World Post Day named so?

World Post Day was established to commemorate the founding of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in 1874. Every year on this day we commemorate the importance of post offices in our lives and in the running of our society.

When is World Post Day 2022?

World Post Day is celebrated annually on the 9th of October, the anniversary of the founding of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 in the Swiss capital Bern. World Post Day was proclaimed at the UPU Congress in Tokyo, Japan, in 1969. Since then, countries around the world have participated in the celebrations every year. Post offices in many countries use the event to introduce or promote new postal products and services.

What is the theme of World Post Day 2022?

This year’s theme for World Post Day 2022 is Post for Planet.

As the oldest logistics institution in the world, it is on post offices’ shoulders to raise awareness of environmental protection. So, this year’s theme brings out the question: in what ways can post offices contribute to a greener economy?

History of World Post Day

World Post Day commemorates the founding of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 in Bern, Switzerland. World Post Day itself was proclaimed at the Universal Postal Union Congress in Tokyo, Japan, in 1969. The Universal Postal Union, or UPU for short, has played a significant role in our lives, and we may not even realise it. Thanks to the work of the UPU, the operations of the various regional post offices have been unified, ensuring greater speed and efficiency. Universal Postal Union’s work includes, for example, the creation of postal codes.

The importance of World Post Day

The purpose of World Post Day is to raise awareness of the role of the postal sector in the daily lives of people and businesses and its contribution to the social and economic development of countries. The celebration encourages Member Countries of the United Nations to undertake programme activities aimed at creating wider public and media awareness of the role and activities of their post offices on a national scale.

Each year, more than 150 countries celebrate World Post Day in different ways. In some countries, World Post Day is celebrated as a working day. Many post offices use the event to introduce or promote new postal products and services. Some post offices also use World Post Day to reward their employees for good work.

Philatelic exhibitions are held in many countries and new stamps and postmarks are issued. Other activities include the display of World Post Day posters at post offices and other public places, open days at post offices, postal centres and postal museums, conferences, seminars and workshops, as well as cultural, sporting and other leisure activities. Many postal administrations issue special souvenirs such as T-shirts and badges.

How to celebrate World Post Day?

If you want to get involved in the World Post Day discussion, you can do so on Twitter using the hashtag #WorldPostDay. This year’s theme is the importance of mail in sustainable development. But there are other ways to celebrate World Post Day – try writing a letter to someone you haven’t seen in a while! And don’t forget to thank your postperson for a job well done.