October 9: World Post Day
The World Post Day is observed each year on October 9 to spread awareness about the postal services and their role in the everyday lives of people and businesses.
2016 Theme: “Innovation, Integration and Inclusion”.
In India, this day is celebrated by Department of Posts. For more than 150 years, India Post has been the backbone of the country’s communication network. It is the largest postal network in the world providing mail parcel, banking, money transfer, insurance and retail services.
Background
- The World Post Day was instituted at the Universal Postal Union (UPU) Congress held in Tokyo, Japan in 1969.
- Significance of the day: The day is celebrated to mark anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in 1874 in the Swiss Capital, Bern.
About Universal Postal Union (UPU)
- UPU is a specialized agency of the UN that coordinates postal policies among member nations, in addition to the worldwide postal system.
- It was established in 1874 and is the second oldest international organization worldwide after International Telecommunication Union (ITU) which was established in 1865.
- Its headquarters are located in the Swiss capital Berne. It has 192 member countries.
- UPU is the primary forum for cooperation between postal sector players among member countries. It helps to ensure a truly universal network of up-to-date products and services.
- It sets rules for international mail exchanges and makes recommendations for growth in mail, financial and parcel services volumes and also to improve quality of service for customers.
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Month: Current Affairs - October, 2016