The National Museum and Monuments, in collaboration with the Botswana Post, hosted a stamp exhibition, featuring the evolution of the postal system in Botswana.
The exhibition was officially opened by the Minister of Transport and Communications, Frank Ramsden, on Thursday.
It showcased the evolution of the postal system, from letters being dropped in the trees, runner’s posts to the current mailing service, a move that managed to inform the public about the value of stamps and their contribution to making the country internationally recognised.
Officiating at the exhibition, , said, “The stamp exhibition marks the journey that the postal service in Botswana has undergone from postal trees, runner posts to the current express mail system, which is complemented by the technologically advanced internet services.”
Postage stamps have been used all over the world since time immemorial and most people associate them with the point of departure of mail to the intended destination and it is this use of postage stamps that makes them an effective tool for transmission of messages and information through drawings and photographs they depict.
Ramsden said Botswana stamps are mainly educational in nature as evidenced by those animals on the endangered species list and protected flora and fauna, such as the slaty egret and baobab trees.
“In such series, the public and those in distant places around the world are informed and conscientised about some of the endangered species in Botswana,” he said.
In addition, Ramsden said the stamps have a cultural connotation as they also depict the cultures that make the nation; these include illustrations on traditional stories and folk tales, such as chiwele, and the giant, traditional dance and attire, as well as innovation associated with our culture as evidenced by those on traditional storage items.
Ramsden revealed that in addition to the stamp exhibition, a three day workshop will be held to develop and create a pool of skilled young artists who can design unique stamps and learn skills in stamp design and presentation methods in order to compete with the best elsewhere.
Ramsden also encouraged Batswana to develop an interest in Philately, which is the study of the print, design, paper, watermark, colour, perforations and other areas of the stamp.
He applauded the initiative saying it is a move that will help in attracting more tourists to the country and also complemented cultural tourism around the city of Gaborone.
