Lithuanian Post puts 100 living Lithuanians on new issue

New Stamps of the World – By Denise McCarty 

A hundred living people are pictured on a pane of six postage stamps issued June 29 by Lithuanian Post (Lietuvos Pastas).

Called “Pasaulio Lietuva,” which translates to “Lithuania of the World,” the pane features faces of Lithuanians and people of Lithuanian descent. It was issued in conjunction with the 100th anniversaries of Lithuanian Post and the restoration of the state of Lithuania,

Asta Sungailiene, the CEO of Lithuanian Post, said that the pane “paid tribute to 100 people who live not only in Lithuania but also throughout the world and whose works bring together Lithuania of the world rather than commemorating some historical personalities. This is a special thanks for strengthening and fostering Lithuanianness and a reminder that the boundaries of our nation are much broader than those drawn on the map.”

A world map is pictured in the selvage of the pane, and the six €1 stamps show the basic shapes of six continents: North America, Europe, Asia, South America, Africa and Australia. The faces of the people are superimposed on the continents.

According to Lithuanian Post, 20 of the people were selected by a special commission to appear on the stamps. Among these are Olympic gold medalist swimmer Ruta Meilutyte, and Gintaras Grusas, the archbishop of Vilnius, who was born in Washington, D.C.

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Lithuanian Post also revealed the names of six other people shown on the stamps: Michigan-born writer Ruta Sepetys, Lithuanian-American filmmaker and artist Jonas Mekas, Colombian musician Jurgis Didziulis, and Lithuanian poet Tomas Venclova.

The other 80 people entered a contest held in conjunction with the project (www.4000000.lt) to unite 4 million Lithuanians around the world on July 6, Statehood Day, to sing the national anthem.

Cartor Security Printers of France printed the stamps.