Embassy of The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

Gibbons Stamp Monthly celebration
at the Ethiopian Embassy

PRESS RELEASE

28th February 2012, LONDON

The Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in London was the scene for the celebration of the March 2012 issue of Gibbon’s Stamp Monthly, published by the oldest and renowned stamp firm Stanley Gibbons, which carried a 6-page fully illustrated article on Ethiopia’s postal service and postage stamps, the first of two articles.

In the presence of invited guests and Embassy staff, H.E. Berhanu Kebede, Ambassador to the Court of St James, praised the columnist Peter Jennings for his in-depth research of Ethiopian postage stamps, which portray the social, economic and cultural settings prevalent at various historical epochs.

The Ambassador reminded the audience that the Ethiopian Postal Service first issued Ethiopian stamps, depicting the then Ethiopian King, Emperor Menelik II, on the 24th November 1894, which was probably the first souvenir sheet issued in the world.

Journalist, writer, broadcaster and PR Consultant, Peter Jennings, thanked the Ambassador and his team of diplomats for facilitating his first visit to Ethiopia and promised to return to Ethiopia in order to assist with modernising the Ethiopian Postal Service’s Museum.

He noted that he had found “Today’s Ethiopia to be vibrant in stark contrast to previous negative image one has of the country” which, he said, offers many investment opportunities and urged the audience to visit the horn of Africa country.

Ethiopian buffet luncheon and Ethiopian coffee were served at the end of the celebration, marking this new UK-Ethiopia friendship.

For further information please contact the press office on 0207 838 3883 or send an email to info@ethioembassy.org.uk.