The Universal Postal Union (UPU) was established on October 9, 1874 in an international conference held in Berne, Switzerland by postal service delegates sent from 22 countries. In 1969, to mark the anniversary of this event, the Universal Postal Congress meeting in Tokyo, Japan officially declared October 9 as World Post Day.
The goal of observing this day is to raise awareness to the vital contribution of mail services to all aspects of social and economic issues throughout the world. UPU calls member countries to celebrate World Post Day by organizing national activities such as open days at post offices, mail centres and postal museums. Introduction and promotion of new postal products and services on this day are also recommended.
Think how much has evolved since 490 BC, when Phillipides died of exhaustion after running 40 kilometers from the battlefield near Marathon to Athens to deliver the news that the Greek army defeated the Persians. Couriers by foot or on horse, mail pigeons, drum beats and smoke signals, all these ancient methods for long distance communication that were used for millenia have passed the torch to electronic and mechanized postal services by air, marine and land transportation. Such modern services include delivery of physical mail that we cannot or prefer not to send by electronic mail such as packages, postcards, documents and official or personal letters.
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