Presentation of postmarks, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of independence of Georgia, was held in the exhibition pavilion of the National Archives of Georgia. The idea of creating the anniversary postmarks belongs to the National Archives of Georgia and the Georgian Post. The event was opened by the Minister of Justice Thea Tsulukiani and attended by the deputy of the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Giorgi Cherkezishvili, the director of Georgian Post Levan Chikvaidze and other invitees.
The above mentioned presentation was held with the exhibition of unique original documents of the establishment of the First Republic of Georgia as a background in the exhibition pavilion of the National Archives.
The sketches of the postmarks have been created according to the theme “the 100th anniversary of independence of Georgian Republic”. Three marks were presented by the contestants: emblem, map and flag of the Democratic Republic of Georgia. The postmarks were designed based on the photo material and unique documents of the First Republic that are preserved at the National Archives of Georgia. At the end of the open contest, announced by the Georgian Post, the commission selected the postmark created by Baadur Koblianidze.
The first national Georgian postmark was released on 26 May 1919. The postmarks used to be released in independent Georgia with different designs. On each of them the emblem of the Democratic Republic of Georgia was depicted in different compositions. Furthermore, some of them also had specimens. The postmarks released in this period are rare.
Releasing of postmarks ceased in 1921 after sovietization of Georgia. Despite the fact that during the Soviet period postmarks were being released with Georgian themes and Georgian public figures’ images, the word “Georgia” wasn’t depicted on any of them, nor was anything printed onto them in Georgian.
In 1991 after the restoration of independence of Georgia, Georgian postmarks continued to be released and this fact itself is confirmation of independence and sovereignty of the country.
The open contest for national postmarks is held annually. The contest is promoting development and popularization of postmarks. As a result, postmarks with images of the country’s important events and famous Georgian public figures are released.