Source: Gulf-Times

QATAR will make efforts to host the Universal Postal Union’s World Postal Congress in 2012, chairman and chief executive of Q-Post Ali Mohamed al-Ali said Tuesday30 january .He was speaking after inaugurating the first Arab postal stamps exhibition, being hosted by Q-Post, at Villagio mall.Al-Ali said the exhibition would help participants exchange ideas and expertise and expressed the hope that it would help enhance co-operation between various postal corporations of the region.The event will boost Qatar’s image, al-Ali said, terming the exhibition “a feather in Q-Post’s cap.” As part of the exhibition, an Arab postal stamp, designed by Q-Post’s philately bureau was released. The image of a horse printed on the stamp has significance for the people of the region, al-Ali said.  Eighty thousand units of the stamp have been printed. It is priced at QR0.50. Ten thousand units of first day covers have also been brought out. Seventeen postal corporations and prominent philatelic societies of the region have set up pavilions at the venue. Among the collections are some of the first and the latest stamps issued by the postal corporations of the region.Also on display are stamp collections of the Qatar Philately and Numismatic Club.Vice-president of the Qatar Philately and Numismatic Club Hussain Rajab al-Ismail said it was a rare opportunity for collectors to see and buy stamps which are rarely sold outside. He is the organising committee chairman of the exhibition. Apart from stamps, some of the participant corporations are displaying first day covers.As part of the exhibition, an auction of stamps will be held tomorrow at 7pm at the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture located on the Corniche. Arrangements have also been made to print stamps with one’s own image at the venue, Q-Post officials said.Referring to Q-Post activities, Al-Ali said the corporation has brought about several innovations by introducing the latest technology. He said Q-Post has implemented several services as part of Qatar’s e-government project.The chairman said Qatar would take the lead in forming an Arab Philately Society. “The exhibition is a first step in this direction and the Q-Post is sure that it will help enhance people’s knowledge of the culture, history and traditions of the region.”Among those present at the inaugural ceremony were ambassadors of Palestine and Djibouti Muneir Abdullah Ghanam and Mohamadi Ali Mohamadi respectively.