MUMBAI, 17th DECEMBER, 2019 (GPN): If you are a lover of stamps and postal history, the National Philatelic Exhibition that is slated to be held between 18-22 December (10.30 am – 6.30 pm) at the World Trade Centre, Cuffe Parade in Mumbai is an event that has to be on your list.  Given that philately is a highly engaging yet educative hobby, the Philatelic Congress of India (PCI) along with the active support of Department of Posts and another member Philatelic Societies is organizing the third edition of this prestigious event with a view to promote and encourage philately.  A notable feature of the event this year is the fact that it is being held to commemorate 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi and the primary focus of all activities is on the youth of the country.

Announcing a set of special activities for youth, Mrs Damyanti Pittie, President of the Philatelic Congress of India said “There is no denying the fact that the youth of the country are our future.  Hence, it is very important to create a platform that will help nurture young minds in the right direction.  It is key to engage them in activities that are insightful and will encourage them to be constructive and productive.  Philately is, without a doubt, one such interesting activity and a hobby that can captivate the minds of the youth like none other.  We have designed special activities for youth at INPEX 2019.   Many of our affiliated member clubs are doing yeoman service in getting youth interested in philately across India, and we will carry the momentum forward in participation with schools going forward”

But INPEX 2019, India’s largest exhibition of rare stamps, aims to be a platform to attract the youth towards philately which is a not only a great source of learning but also a fascinating hobby. With this objective, there are several engrossing activities planned for the youth. Details as under:

Philatelic Crossword: a fun activity that encourages young minds to put on their thinking caps and work their way through the maze of alphabets unravelling secrets about posts and stamps on the way.

Letter folding and letter writing: a wonderful initiative to get the younger generation to relive the good old days of letter writing and gain an insight into the early days of postal communication.

Postcards depicting old Mumbai: a trip down memory lane educating the youth about the history of Mumbai and tracing the journey of its development till date.

Country Identification by stamps: an educative quiz that aims to improve the general knowledge and thinking the ability of the youth.

Treasure Hunt: a wholesome yet fun activity that aims to improve problem-solving skills and logical reasoning of the youth.

Nuances of philately: this activity will provide the youth with the basics of stamps soaking, watermark identification, perforation identification using perforation gauge and mounting techniques.

Apart from all this, there are lucky draws, spot gifts like stamp packets and return gifts like bookmarks and other stationery.

With so much in store and youth activities being the key theme of INPEX 2019, it is encouraged that school and college children attend the event along with their teachers and parents in large numbers.

About The exhibition is being organized by the Philatelic Congress of India with the active support of Department of Posts and other members Philatelic Societies for furtherance and promotion of philately as an educative hobby. It will provide an opportunity for the Indian philatelists to participate in a National Exhibition and qualify for international participation. PCI is affiliated with the Federation Internationale de Philatelie (FIP) and  Federation of Inter-Asian Philately (FIAP).

Date: December 18 to 22, 2019. Time: From 10 am to 6:30 pm on all four days. Opens at 11:00 am on 18th Dec., Address: World Trade Centre, Cuffe Parade, in Mumbai, with Entry: Free Note: For the exact timings of sessions and events, please log on to inpex2019.com