Friday, June 28, 2024 at 11:57
Rabat – Morocco and Romania celebrated, Thursday in Rabat, the special issue of two joint postage stamps consecrating the historical and friendly ties of the two countries and reflecting the authenticity of their heritage.
The two postage stamps, whose issue last May took place after the celebration in 2022 of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, were presented during a ceremony which took place in the presence of the Director General of Barid Al -Maghrib, Amin Benjelloun Touimi, the Romanian ambassador in Rabat, Maria Ciobanu, the general director of Romfilatelia (Romanian Post), Cristina Popescu, and the director of the “Romanian Village Museum”, Paula Popoiu.
As part of the strengthening of ties of friendship and cooperation between the Moroccan Post and the Romanian Post on the theme “Popular Arts”, this ceremony was an opportunity to highlight the cultural riches and artisanal heritage of the two countries through the illustration of the traditional costumes and pottery of the two nations.
Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Benjelloun Touimi indicated that this achievement is a concrete example of how philately can contribute to bringing people together and celebrating cultural diversity, recalling the desire of the two institutions to build lasting relations, based on active collaboration in the different postal areas.
“These two joint postage stamps are much more than just collectibles,” he said, noting that they serve as cultural ambassadors, facilitating better understanding and mutual appreciation between the two nations.
For her part, the Romanian ambassador indicated that this ceremony is an opportunity to highlight the essence of relations between Romania and Morocco and their deep friendship, the sharing of values, cultural ties, as well as the mutual respect of the two heritages.
While describing the Moroccan Caftan as “an exceptional blend of refinement and elegance”, Ms. Ciobanu stressed that the traditional Romanian blouse is now a UNESCO heritage site. In his eyes, the two costumes represent ancestral symbols that have persisted over the years.
For the general director of Romfilatelia, the theme chosen for this joint broadcast is the result of a documentary collaboration between the philatelic department of the Post of Morocco and that of Romania, with the support of the Romanian Village Museum, “a traditional institutional partner ”.
As a member of the Universal Postal Union, Romfilatelia, which is the only institution authorized by the Romanian government to issue postage stamps, has collaborated in the realization of the common philatelic project through the sharing of ideas and projects regarding the future of philately, said Popescu, who considers this art as an “invitation to travel, to learning and to memory.”
At the end of this ceremony, a collaboration agreement was signed between the National Museum Foundation, the Romanian Village Museum “Dimitrie Gusti”, and the Romanian Embassy in Morocco, aiming at the organization of a joint exhibition in September in Rabat, with a view to presenting in depth the cultural elements of sewing and embroidery common to both countries.
