JSC “Ukrposhta,” in collaboration with the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, has announced a nationwide contest for designs of the “We Are Waiting!” postage stamp, which is scheduled to be issued in time for Independence Day, according to a company statement.
According to Ukrposhta’s press release, the contest is open to anyone interested—artists, illustrators, and designers. To participate, fill out the form at this link. Submissions will be accepted from April 17 through May 8.
It is noted that the sketch must be uploaded in accordance with the requirements: specifically, the format must be JPEG, the resolution must be 300 dpi, the maximum file size is 10 MB, the work must not infringe on the copyrights of third parties, and the use of artificial intelligence is not permitted.
The contest will take place in several stages. First, all interested participants submit their sketches via the form; then, Ukrposhta specialists will review the entries for compliance with the requirements. Subsequently, a jury comprising representatives of Ukrposhta, the Coordination Headquarters, and the Public Council—including families of prisoners of war and those missing in action—will select sketches for the final vote, and the best entries will be featured in the “Diya” mobile app, where Ukrainians will determine the winner through a vote. “The sketch that receives the most votes will become the ‘We Are Waiting’ postage stamp—a symbol of Ukraine’s Independence Day,” emphasized the national postal operator.
As clarified by “Ukrposhta,” contest participants agree that, in the event of a win, they will develop additional designs for the “First Day” envelope and postcard, as well as sign a copyright agreement transferring exclusive property rights.
At the same time, the national postal operator reserves the right to offer authors of other works further collaboration on the creation of postal products.
“Sometimes a small postage stamp can say more than a thousand words. We are waiting for everyone, waiting for victory and peace in our hearts. And we invite Ukrainians to join the contest so that the whole world hears: ‘We are waiting!’” the company emphasizes.
JSC “Ukrposhta” is the national postal operator that provides postal, logistics, financial, and commercial services to private and corporate clients. The company has over 6,000 branches and 26,000 service points throughout Ukraine.
Ukrposhta has issued a new postage stamp to mark the 30th anniversary of the Ukrainian Antarctic station Akademik Vernadsky, which was transferred to Ukraine by the United Kingdom exactly 30 years ago on February 6, 1996, under the name Faraday, and was later renamed.
“Today we are launching the first corporate stamp after rebranding, so we are taking the new stamp to the station to make everything modern. Thank you to everyone who worked on this issue. I want to wish the expedition all the best,” said Ihor Smelyansky, CEO of Ukrposhta, during the special cancellation.
It is noted that for the first time in the history of the station, the 31st Ukrainian Antarctic expedition, which will last from 2026 to 2027, will be led by meteorologist Anzhelika Hanchuk, who was a member of the 27th Ukrainian expedition in 2022-2023 and was involved in meteorological, oceanographic, and other research at the station.
“My task this year, as with other base commanders, will be to ensure that our station functions and all tasks are completed,” said Anzhelika Hanchuk, head of the upcoming 31st Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition.
On the eve of the expedition, Yevhen Dykyi, director of the National Antarctic Scientific Center, noted that since 2018, there has been a real gender breakthrough in the Ukrainian Antarctic program.
From an unspoken ban on women participating in expeditions for almost 20 years to the first female base commander. In total, 13 female polar explorers have worked in annual expeditions since 2018, and 11 in seasonal expeditions.
Ukrposhta added that the stamp has a circulation of 630,000 copies, and the nominal value on the postage stamp is indicated by the letter “U,” which is equivalent to 24 hryvnia. The stamp has an unusual shape—it is round, and the margins of the sheet feature a photo of the station and the Ukrainian ship Noosfera.
