AWDC (Antwerp World Diamond Center) and Belgian Post - (De Post-La Poste) have announced the release of Antverpia 2010 postage stamps, a part of the philatelistic program of the Belgian Post.
These stamps announce a European championship and an exhibition of stamps, named Antverpia 2010.
It shows Antwerp as an active town: the transport, the history, the harbour, the fashion and of course the diamonds.
With only a handful of postage stamps in the world featuring diamonds, and even rarer featuring a diamond jewellery piece; this postage stamp is a rare honour for a diamond jewellery piece and a jewellery artist’s work.
The diamond necklace featured on the postage stamp uses 101.0 carats of diamonds.
The neckpiece was designed by Reena Ahluwalia in collaboration with Diarough N.V, Belgium (diamond sponsor) and Shrenuj & Co. Ltd. (jewel sponsor).
The piece was a finalist in the HRD Awards 2007 design competition, organized by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre.
The theme for the competition was “A Night at the Opera” and the design pays homage to the legendary diva Maria Callas.
Speaking on the occasion of this release, Reena Ahluwalia said: “I am deeply honoured as this represents the highest recognition one can get as a diamond jewellery artist. “
” This is beyond any aspiration, one does not work thinking that one day your work will be on a postage stamp. It is overwhelming for me, as this small piece of paper represents a microcosm of sorts of the diamond industry. “
More than 50% of the world’s production of rough, polished and industrial diamond passes through Antwerp. 8 in 10 of all rough diamonds in the world are handled in Antwerp and 1 in 2 of all cut diamonds passes through Antwerp.
With Antwerp diamond sector having an annual turnover of 39 billion U.S dollars, the diamond trade is responsible for 8% of Belgian exports, and 12% of the Flemish region’s exports. 30,000 people are directly or indirectly employed by the Belgian diamond sector. Source
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Belgium : The Ugly Forgotten Truth
Additional Reading on Past Belgian Atrocities & More:
The Crime of the Congo By Arthur Conan Doyle Historical
King Leopold II of Belgium Killer File Historical
Belgium’s Imperialist Rape of Africa Historical
ILLICIT DIAMONDS FLOW Current: Antwerp during the Blood Diamond (Conflict Diamond) era and still today is the major world rough diamond recipient headquarters.
The Belgians have done a wonderful job of sanitizing their international public profile and reputation in the past and now but they never compensated for the atrocities over the last one hundred and fifty years benefiting from African natural resources far removed from the tragedies they were the cause of.
Lest we forget,
De Guru.
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Diamond Imports
