To honour the historic event — the synchronisation of the Baltic energy system with the European grid and the disconnection from the Russian-controlled network — each Baltic country has issued a postage stamp that together form a unified story. The stamps were designed by creative director and designer Māris Upenieks, who created a visual solution based on an electrical circuit. The project is a joint initiative of postal operators in Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania.
«Connecting to the European electricity grid was the most important energy security project of this century in the Baltics. We are pleased with the efficient transnational cooperation and the professional implementation of the project, which, despite different opinions, allowed the synchronisation to proceed seamlessly for everyday users. The stamp commemorating this historic event is another «thank you» to all the project implementers for their hard work,» said Kaspars Melnis, Minister of Climate and Energy of Latvia.
The conceptual idea of the stamp series is symbolic synchronisation and unity of the Baltic States and the European electricity grid. When the three stamps are put together, they form a single drawing or «interconnection». Māris Upenieks, the designer of the series, points out that such an event, when three countries simultaneously issue stamps that, when put together, reveal a common story, is a unique case in the history of philately. «It seems that I have become the first Latvian to design stamps for Estonia and Lithuania,» points out Māris.
He explains that the visuals of the stamp series are a creative take on the electrical circuit: «Instead of the usual switches, resistors, and coils, we see symbols for our basic needs — communication, light, and warmth — which will be provided by a more reliable electricity grid. We also see electrified, positive emotions and the fact that in the Baltics we not only consume energy but also produce it, underlining the potential of each country in this field.» The Estonian stamp shows wind turbines, the Latvian stamp depicts a hydroelectric dam and the Lithuanian stamp features solar panels. The silver background of the stamp symbolises infrastructure and technology, while the blue colour represents energy, security and Europe. When the stamp is viewed under the UV lamp, the scheme is illuminated in neon, giving the design a new layer of «electrified» symbolism.
The story of synchronisation and references to the electrical circuit are also included in the design of the first-day-of-issue covers, which were issued along with the stamps in each of the Baltic countries.
The Latvian stamp has a print run of 20,000 copies, while the special design envelope has 500 copies. In Estonia, 25,000 stamps were issued, and in Lithuania, 15,000. The stamps are available on the websites of Latvijas Pasts, Omniva, and Lietuvos Paštas.
Viedokļi