Spring 1998 (6.1) New Flag Stamps by Patricia Palmer In February 1998, the United Nations
issued a series of eight stamps featuring the flags of some of
the countries which have most recently joined the UN. Azerbaijan
is included in this series as are the Czech Republic, Estonia,
North Korea, Micronesia, Monaco, Slovakia and Uzbekistan. The
last time this flag series was issued by the UN was in 1986. Azerbaijan joined the UN on March 9, 1992. Its mission includes the UNDP, UNHCR, UNICEF and WHO which deal with economic development as well as the consequences of war especially trying to help meet the needs of approximately 1 million Azerbaijani refugees who were forced to flee their homes in Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding areas. Since 1988, Armenians have been at war trying to link Nagorno-Karabakh, an enclave inside of Azerbaijan, with Armenia. First Day Covers
His work depicts the chaos and powerlessness children feel when war strikes their country. Against a black background, children outlined in white are trying to flee from the deadly machines of war - helicopters and bombers. Puncturing the black background is an arch-shaped window that looks out on an idyllic, peaceful, sunny landscape of sea and mountains. Elnar's painting proves that children do, indeed, understand war. Elnar came up with the idea; his teacher, Tatyana Kesar, suggested some of the colors and techniques. Elnar comes from a talented family. His mother and father are both engineers. His father is also a musician. Elnar's sister, Negar, 9, is also a gifted painter and won a painting competition in Baku in 1996 dedicated to the 3,000-year celebration of Jerusalem. Elnar, though so young, has already won several art competitions. To Order For information regarding
First Day Covers, contact Groth AG, Gewerbestrasse 19, P.O. Box
167, CH-6314 Unterägeri, Switzerland. Tel: (41) 41-750-45-72;
Fax: (41) 41-750-5355; e-mail: <groth@swissplace.ch> or
check with stamp collector's outlets in Europe. |