{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Sub rosa - eml\u00e9kek","provider_url":"https:\/\/masolat.cafeblog.hu","author_name":"Kocsis T.","author_url":"https:\/\/masolat.cafeblog.hu\/author\/xhappy150gmail-com\/","title":"\u00c9n, a b\u00e9lyeggy\u0171jt\u0151","html":"\n\n\n
\n

\"fepa-logo-digital-01.jpg\"The hobby of my life since my childhood\u00a0 has been\u00a0 -\u00a0 philately.

And as a man in an\u00a0 uncomfortable age, well over 70 (I was born in 1935),\u00a0 today I dare say:
<\/strong><\/p>\n

it has become the greatest present from\u00a0 this, for me so kind\u00a0 hobby, that\u00a0 about good\u00a0 20 years ago, in dramatically\u00a0 world historical moments of the last century,\u00a0 personally just me had found the task - as then president of the National Federation of the Hungarian Philatelists (MAB\u00c9OSZ) \"mabeosz_logo.jpg\"-, to take part in the preparations of our European organization. And You all may understand, that till today I am proud of the\u00a0 result of our,\u00a0 many times not just easy common efforts. The FEPA was\u00a0 officially born, and in 1989, on its first conference -\u00a0 on\u00a0 ground of the traditionally good international reputation of the Hungarian philately - I was elected to the\u00a0\u00a0 office of the first, founder vice-president of the federation. Even more: I was deeply honoured, that in this position I have got a chance, to work on the side of such a president, as the\u00a0 \u201egeat magician of the international philately\u201d, Dr. Alan Huggins has been...<\/strong><\/p>\n

My way on the steps on the philately was at least so long as \u201ethe way to Tipperary\u201d. I began it, when I had been 8 years old. The first stamps I have got to Christmas, from my father, with his wise advise: \u201eRead always something new about every new stamp before putting it\u00a0\u00a0 into your album\u201d.\u00a0 I do it till now: so, the last days I was reading a lot about one of the new states of the Balkans, Montenegro...\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

I began\u00a0 - it\u2019s natural - with\u00a0 Hungarian stamps, some years later were coming the publications\u00a0 of the UN too.\u00a0 The next step:\u00a0\u00a0 signatures of interesting persons, who have something to do\u00a0 with the stamps\u00a0 on an envelope. Then as a grown-up man\u00a0 and journalist by profession, I decided to produce only for myself something special: since half a century I \u201ewrite\u201d a personal philatelic travel diary. It is a duty.\u00a0 to buy the\u00a0\u00a0 latest published stamp of the foreign country, which I am just visiting. In this minute the \u201elatests\u201d are\u00a0\u00a0 the Peking olimpic stamps of Slovenia, with\u00a0\u00a0euro<\/em>\u00a0values:\u00a0 as a proof, how quickly the train of Europe is running. But my favourites today are stamps,\u00a0 - not yet published!<\/strong><\/p>\n

As philatelist I am a\u00a0 journalist - and\u00a0 as journalist I am proud of beeing philateslist.\u00a0 I began more than 50\u00a0 years ago to write articles about our hobby, first of all in the journal of the Hungarian collectors, the \u201eFilat\u00e9liai Szemle\u201d. For more decades I had been member of the editorial comittee of this periodical. And\u00a0 -\u00a0 last but not least for me -\u00a0 I have become one of the first Hungarian members az AIJP. Later I have got the membership of the Royal Philatelic Society, and became member in\u00a0 the Hungarian sections and working groups in Great Britain and Germany.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

As correspondent of the Hungarian News Agency (MTI) I was working nearly 15 years in foreign countries (from the Far-East over Belgrade to - then - West and East-Berlin). But in\u00a0 times living and working at home I always liked very much to take part\u00a0 in the activity of MAB\u00c9OSZ: first for many years as member of the Presidium, and later,\u00a0 from 1986 as twice elected president of our organization. As\u00a0 responsible for so many others, I created an inside slogan in my soul, I was never speaking about it: it is much better if people are buying stamps on their money, then spending it for alcoholic drinks (sorry, perhaps). The other side of it is: many organized members means more possibilities to support our\u00a0 best philatelists at home and internationally. Even now I don\u2019t no really: had I right or not?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have had to retire from this responsible job in 1991 in a bed of a Budapest hospital. My cardiologist professor had given me the command: \u201eEither your life or the storms of public life, included philately\u201d. He controlled me\u00a0 personally, that I was writing my letter of resignation to the presidium. Perhaps his firmness\u00a0then<\/em>\u00a0is the explanation of the\u00a0 simple fact that - I am able to write these memories,\u00a0now<\/em>. And that I may \u201eplay\u201d with my stamps even today - not once together with the \u201enew blood\u201d (what is very important), with one of my grandsons...\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

But back to FEPA... It was a goodluck for me, that I met the idea, to create a \u201ecommon philatelic club in Europe\u201d practically in the first moment after beeing elected as president of the Hungarian Association. There were partnerts and opponents both on the West and the East side of the old continent. Don\u2019t forget: it had been in 1986. I remember well: sometimes the British Alan Huggins has got more supports secretly from\u00a0 East Europe, than I publicly from the same persons. And some other time I was asked secretly by philatelist leaders from the West,\u00a0 to be against the foundation the\u00a0 continental federation. But now we know:\u00a0 the\u00a0 end is really important. The FEPA is not only\u00a0 existing. I am proud to read about so many\u00a0 exhibitions, conferences and other events, supported, organized by the FEPA. Our child\u00a0 is today, after 20 years one of the most influential philatelic organization of the world.<\/strong><\/p>\n

What more could You do? I have even a great dream. As an eternal optimist, for example I see\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

1.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

the possibility of organising the Postal Administration of the European Union (EUPA); perhaps the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) could serve as a model;<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

2.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

opening EUPA post-offices in the main headquarters (Brussels,\u00a0Strasbourg,\u00a0Luxembourg) and military camps or peace missions of the EU (the latter addresses could be in particular interesting from philatelic viewpoint);<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

3.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

publishing regularly series of stamps\u00a0 of the EU, which\u00a0 would be used\u00a0 to paying of postage only in the EU post-offices;<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

4.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

publishing in the future too\u00a0 regularly (perhaps yearly) series of stamps with the same motives\u00a0 in all the member countries of the EU, to strengths the best common European ideas (see previous EUROPA issues).<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

I am sure, it is not impossible to realize these ideas. Sooner or later.\u00a0 I have learned, time is never working against philately...<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

. Thank You all (now from Budapest),\u00a0 who do their best \u00a0to make\u00a0 always the best for philately and\u00a0 - \u00a0from FEPA!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>","type":"rich"}