New Swiss postage stamps – inspiration from young Swiss Abroad
10.05.2024 – Maya Robert-Nicoud, SwissCommunity
In summer 2023, 124 young Swiss Abroad from 33 different countries had the rare honour of helping to create new Swiss postage stamp designs during holiday camps run by the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad, SwissCommunity.
It was certainly a great experience for the 15 to 18 year olds to be able to contribute to creating the new stamps, which have now been unveiled by Swiss Post. The designs symbolise 2024, which as the “Fifth Switzerland” will know, is the year of the 100th Congress of the Swiss Abroad, the 90th anniversary of our youth camps, and the 50th anniversary of “Swiss Review”.
The teenagers drew up ideas for the new stamps during their stay in Switzerland. These were then forwarded as sketches or videos to three Swiss graphic designers living abroad, who were specially invited by Swiss Post to participate in a competition to design the stamps. The process of creating what would be the 2024 Pro Patria stamp issue, dedicated to Switzerland’s expatriate community, therefore began at last summer’s holiday camps.
This process involved three stages of preparation. Firstly, the teenagers considered what stamps and written mail mean to them. Next, they thought of the elements that they would use to portray Switzerland. And finally, they sketched mountains, cows, chocolate and other things that symbolise Switzerland.
They then worked on the style, colour, typography and overall design of the stamps in greater detail. When the first confidential drafts were completed, the camp participants were able to give their opinion of them.
The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad, SwissCommunity, is proud to have been a part of this collaboration involving young Swiss Abroad, Pro Patria, Swiss Post, and London-based Swiss designer Sandra Liscio who won the competition.
Projects of this nature fulfil one of the fundamental aims of our organisation, namely to facilitate interaction between the Swiss Abroad and their compatriots in Switzerland. We are also delighted that the new stamps represent Swiss Abroad and look forward to these symbols of the “Fifth Switzerland” travelling far and wide.
Designer and Swiss citizen resident abroad
Sandra Liscio grew up in Lugano. She moved to London eight years ago for a three-month in- ternship at a creative agency – and stayed. Today, she works as a design director in the film and entertainment industry and visits Switzer-
land at least twice a year. “A part of my heart is always in Switzerland. I think that many Swiss people abroad can relate to this bittersweet homesickness. So it was important to me to illustrate this feeling, which connects us all, in the stamps,” says the stamp designer.
EXTRACT FROM THE SWISS STAMP MAGAZINE «DIE LUPE»
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